Throngs of Akwa Ibomites, visitors and well-wishers today gathered at the iconic stadium in the state capital, Uyo, to mark its 35th anniversary.
The state was created in 1987 from Cross Rivers states by the General Ibrahim Babangida government. Dressed in multicolours of purple, red, yellow, and green, the citizens of the ‘land of promise’ cheered and danced to relive the passage of time since the creation of the state and its milestone developments, by its various administrators, from the first governor, General Tunde Ogbeha to current governor, Emmanuel Udom.
But it was Emmanuel’s achievement with its remarkable strides in the establishment of industries in aviation, manufacturing, agriculture, massive and dualized road constructions and iconic buildings and other social interventions such as flood control and construction of iconic buildings such as the Dakkada Tower, that cut the fancy of the residents and other visitors to the state.
Ten governors have governed the state. They are Tunde Ogbeha, Godwin Abbe, Idongesit Nkanga, Akpan Isemin (Late), Yakubu Bako, Joseph A. Adeusi (Late), Eyepeiyah John Ebiye, Victor Attah. Godswill O. Akpabio. Emmanuel is the tenth governor.
The development of modern Akwa Ibom could be more visibly traced to the time of Mr Obong Victor Attah, followed by his successor Senator Godswill Akpabio. However, the strides of the current governor, Udom Emmanuel, are remarkable and have taken a new dimension in making the state commercially viable and industrial.
Ibom Air has become one of the iconic and signature projects of the state, a tell-tale of Emmanuel’s administration to grow the state’s economy and generate employment for its citizens and the country.
The Nigerian police mounted a colourful parade inspected by the governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal. He represented the country’s former vice president and presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections. Governor Emmanuel joined the Tambuwal in the parade inspection. Tambuwal was recently elected chairman of the Nigerian Governors Council.
It was no coincidence that the Nigerian police were eminently involved in the celebrations because it was also 35 years since the Akwa Ibom state police command formed.
In an opening remark, Secretary to the State government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, justified the reasons the state rolled out the drums to celebrate its 35th anniversary. According to him, the yearnings of the people of Akwa Ibom who wanted a sophisticated ambience to express their creativity and capacity were achieved by the creation of the state in 1987. Ekuwem, quoting the book of Genesis, said God created man for creativity and progress. For anyone to use the resources and power of knowledge for creativity and progress, man required a conducive ambience, which successive state administrations have made possible.
Akwa Ibomites, Ekuwem said, now have the opportunity to explore their God-given resources. He said the remarkable and unmatched strides of the current governor Emmanuel’s administration make the celebration more imperative. He listed some of the signature projects of the current administration, such as the Ibom air, the aircraft maintenance and repair hangar, the MRO that is being constructed and the 18-lane road commissioned on Thursday.
Several events marked the anniversary celebration, among which were colourful cultural dances and songs and an essay competition for undergraduates. Four hundred sixty-nine entries were written on “Akwa Ibom, the land of unlimited possibility”. The winner of the competition, Miss Grace Bassey Isang, a law student from the university of Uyo, scored 78 per. She got one million naira. She got another one million naira added to her by the presenter of the award, Governor Yari.
Several governors, former governors, members of the house of assembly, and politicians from the PDP, graced the occasion. Among them was the governor of Adamawa state, Ahmadu Fintiri, Senator Bukola Saraki, and former governor of Kwara state, former Benue state governor, Senator Gabriel Suswan, former governor of Zamfara state Abdulaziz Yari, former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, Former governors of Akwa Ibom Yakubu Belo and John Ebie, Deputy governor of Akwa Ibo state, Mr Moses Frank Ekpo. There were other party chieftains from the state and other parts of the country.
The senator representing the state’s south senatorial district, Akon Etim Eyakenyi, said Emmanuel was God=sent, as there are testimonies on his performance in aviation, education, infrastructure and health. “You have done well and supported us to be in the assembly “. She added.
The speaker of the House of Assembly, Aniekan Bassey, said Emmanuel conquered both the land and air in his development strides.
President of Akwa Ibom traditional council, Ntenyin (Dr.) Solomon Etuk (JP) and Paramount Rulers Elect of Urue offong/Oruko and Ikono Local Government Area said on behalf of the stands to give testimony of the good works of Emmanuel., who took over from Akpabio. He said, “You can see the difference; we have good roads, the creation of several industries that have made a great impact by employing our youths. We are testimony to what we have seen today in our great state.”
The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom, Inibehe Effiong, said, “we see projects (in Akwa Ibom) we thought are not possible being built in Akwa Ibom. When I go to my village, I think I am on my way to Lekki in Lagos; Emmanuel has been good to the Akwa Ibom judiciary. We have not had cause to complain about the judiciary’s finances. “.
In his remark, Saraki said Akwa Ibom is blessed by the kind of developments seen in the state, human and infrastructure development and the peace in the
Emmanuel expressed appreciation for all those who graced the event and his predecessors who had set the pace for the development of the state since its foundation in 1987, on which he was laying a solid foundation.
He expressed appreciation to God, who has blessed the state, by even demonstrating it with the showers of rain that came upon the capital on the day.
Akwa Ibom “ shall be in the forefront of development”, he assured, asking all citizens to unite because it was in unity that development could thrive.
Special Guest at the occasion, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, represented by Tambuwal, said the former Vice President wanted to attend the event, but he lost his brother and aide yesterday.
According to Tambuwal PDP was not involved in a war of attrition but was only involved in a political argument which would soon be resolved, and the party would become more vital for the presidential campaign and, by the grace of God, would win the elections.
He thanked Emmanuel for his good works and said that with the support of the people, PDP would continue in Akwa Ibom and take over at the centre.
