NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH: FOR OUR GOVERNOR-SEN LIYEL IMOKE, MR DONALD DUKE AND CROSS RIVERIANS Henceforth as Cross Riverians we should not condone abuses, destructive tendencies and selfish incitements, we have been known to be peaceful people, we have been known to utilize our brains rather than our physical strength, let us not forget who we are as a people, we have one of the most organized democratic settings as a state in Nigeria. We are blessed beyond measures, our soil is rich for cultivation and adorned with several natural resources including uranium and gold to mention a few, our fauna, plant and animal life is amongst the rarest in the world, our people are culturally diverse and uniquely peaceful and united. A glimpse of what we can and will achieve outside oil can be seen in the proceeds generated from UNICEM mining and processing of limestones into cement. Should we let our differences in terms of ethnicity and tribal or sentimental affiliations tear us apart? We can’t afford to do this. Cross River State as the foundation of Nigeria must continue to shine with greatness and will continue to blossom, no foreigner can destroy us, none except ourselves can make CRS great but will it not be foolish for us to continue fighting amongst ourselves? Should our future generation remember us like we do of the Pa Eyo Ita, the Pa Morphy, the Pa Imoke or the Pa Arikpo and Mma Mag Ekpo or we should be remembered as a generation that worked towards it self destruction? God forbid it! Our glory today will be more than that of the former!! Amen!!! For I know these genes reside in us. We must retrace our steps and give value to competence and morality as we once knew, for Cross River to be the homeland for settlement of the colonialist; we must have been skilful in negotiation and mutual understanding. At least then age was not the factor but passion and sincerity of service for motherland was held sacred above all things but what is happening today? Where are our values of youths respecting elders and where is that love that saw us united against our oppressors within and outside the state? Where are our elders wisdom and the listening ears of our leaders, where are the undiluted strength and academic aptness of our youths that should advocate on genuine grounds rather than paltry sums? We now have university graduates that cannot construct simple sentences and yet make vain and unsound pronouncements. Are parents understanding and acting to mitigate these issues bedevilling those who are assumed as future leaders in Cross River? Who are the parent of these street kids messing the face of our state, should we be ‘’heads’’ before contributing to the growth of our state? Those days leaders were respected and loved and the state protected by her indigenes and inhabitants. We must understand that it is not individuals that cause problems but failures to address issues is what brings about these challenges and it is worst for those with capacities to bring about these change by contributing to make these changes but sit back to watch or loath. For as leaders and followers we have our responsibilities. Now on the issues raised by Mr Donald Duke our immediate past Governor against the emeritus, I will love to state as follows. We rather should address issues than individuals and in doing this wisdom should be applied. Truth will remain truth and evil will remain evil. It is a known fact that Duke made some advances but we must also understand that our economy was better than it is now (Our beloved ‘’76 oil wells’’ was intact). Now the major advances of Mr Donald Duke was the introduction of the carnival and leisure resort in Cross River as well as facial upliftment by building monuments and introducing waste reforms. Sen Liyel Imoke came in continued with the projects initiated by Don e.g the carnival etc, now before I go ahead we should not forget that the blue print in the development of our major resort by Don was for them to be self sustaining on their launch and billions of Naira was loaned to initiate and complete these projects. When Liyel came in and after been hit by economic challenge due in part to the loss of our oil wells and our outstanding loans, he had to introduce reforms and in doing this aggressive economic policies needed to be initiated. Some of which was the tax reform and cutting of government spendings as well as renegotiating government agreements with corporate organizations and the federal government. This saw to the reassignment of TINAPA(The location of Tinapa played a role to it dwindling economic gains by populace within the state) since it wasn’t self sustaining as planned and an improvement of the Carnival to ensure Cross Riverians benefit more and to get a boost in corporate brands keying into the event. Now in Nigeria and West Africa and even in the continent Cross River is synonymous to tourism which is one of the highest independent employer of labour in the State. With the leveraging of Tinapa a major leisure resort by the State government and considering the key role tourism plays in the State another venture needed to be embarked upon but this time with proximity to the populace and an understanding of the lapses of TINAPA which is been resuscitated. This venture was to further boost our tourism prospects as a state that is known for this, so the International Convention Center, the golf and medical resort too was initiated by Sen Liyel Imoke. Other projects initiated by his administration includes renovation and equipping of schools; the rural access mobility project made him win awards as being one of the only governor to have created access to rural communities across the State. As if all of the above is not enough he set up a tertiary institution in Ugep, brought in foreign direct investments worth billions of dollars, the phase two UNICEM project is bigger than the first phase and the General Electric investment portfolio etc. He gave agriculture a boost by initiating the SONGHAI farm ventures, a venture that provided jobs to over 5,000 young people, due to his pressure, the federal government has awarded contracts for the dredging of the Calabar port, and we also have more access to water than before. This is to mention a few! For us to be realistic Liyel’s focus has not been one sided, he is urban and he is rural so what has Liyel done wrong? In all amount of frankness and sincerity has Sen Liyel not done greater things for CRS than what Donald did and besides the good Don did for CRS will not cover his evil. Recently one Ray Morphy, a son of a nationalist Pa Morphy gave a testimony and his testimony is only a fraction of Dons reign of terror on those that tried to oppose him. Evil is evil and no amount of rantings or sentiments can change the truth from what it is. I bet you if Don was Liyel by now Liyel would have been chased out of the state, can we count the number of deaths during Don’s reign both the known and unknown and the crisis which evolved? Our Liyel is a perfect gentleman and understands the natural law of things. He knows that you will certainly reap what you sow. At some point they was plans to kill Imoke thus the spiritual and physical attack on him but not for God who knows what would have happened. Did he sack anybody? No! Did he kill anybody? No! How long can we pretend that w e do not know all of these? We shouldn’t be fooled!! I believe everyone is entitled to their opinions but they are better ways of venting our opinions, I believe Don has never been denied access to Imoke, if he does have access why lambast one he claims is his family member?Which true and matured family member will disgrace his family in public? Let us say the truth and reprimand where necessary. This paid campaign of falsehood and hate against the government of CRS will take us nowhere evidence abounds to the evil of the past but let us let the sleeping dog lie. Most things we hear today or faces we see will not come all out but for their selfish interest. Liyel is not power hungry(He is one of the only Governor who is not seeking to run for Senate even after pressures went wild for him to do so), he may have his weaknesses but he is not a murderer or a fetish overlord neither is he a propagandist or a braggart. This man Sen Liyel Imoke and his wife-Barr Obioma Liyel-Imoke mean us well and as the face of CRS we must advice them wisely where necessary and kick against destructive publicity against them and our State. We must look beyond sentiments and let peace reign. Liliker one of the monkeys Don mentioned was inherited by Liyel from him and we all know Don also had hands in other indigenous firms operational during his administration. He that must go to equity must go with clean hands anything short of this opens us for curses. We must respect our leaders and talk to them as people that come from homes and have training.Even the bible says we should be respectful to those in authority. Intent supersedes action in morality; correction in love and correction in hate are two different things. Any insult hauled at the face or government of Cross River is an insult hauled on all Cross Riverians! We must verify before we propagate! CRS is ours let us build her rather than destroy her.CRS is known as the best state in terms of due process across the federation, where were all these noise makers before now?We have brains let us use them! Nay God continue to bless Cross River State, her leaders and people and all those that genuinely mean her well-Amen! By Prince Michael Nku Abuo, JP, the Director General, Cross River State Political Network,CRISPON and a public analyst.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 21:31:45 +0000
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