Opinion
By Sheddy Ozoene
FOR several reasons, Akwa Ibom State has emerged as the destination of choice for tourism in Nigeria. The capital city of Uyo is the preferred venue for conferences and retreats by corporate organizations, social clubs, government and non-governmental organizations, just as individuals visiting for business and leisure.
It was exciting when the Nigerian Guild of Editors also chose that city for the 2023 edition of the All Nigerian Editors Conference. It was for many of us, one more opportunity to explore the state and the attractions of its burstling capital.
Nigerian Senators had just concluded their retreat in the city and we arrived midway into the conference by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. It was also the week Nigeria’s national footbal team, the Super Eagles played Lesotho for the African Cup qualifiers and players, officials and fans milled around the city and its hospitality outfits. At the Ibom Icon Hotel where we stayed, we had to leave a day early because other organizations had the place fully booked ahead of time. That was a glimpse into the flurry of activities in the state capital within a few days.
Much has been said about the serenity of the state and the level of its infrastructural development. While several factors come into play as the reason the state has witnessed such amazing transformation within a relatively short period, it is easy to conclude that the consistent pattern it has maintained – in politics and in governance – is the major aspect.
From Victor Attah, the architect who literally redesigned the state as governor between 1999 and 2007, to Godswill Akpabio who carried out the state’s uncommon transformation from 2007 to 2015, and Udom Emmanuel who unleashed the state as an emerging industrial hub from 2015 to 2023, Akwa Ibom State has not deviated from the same trajectory of visionary development in 24 years. While it’s leaders have had their fair share of individual differences and political disagreements, they have refused to be distracted from the real issues of the state’s development.
As far as that vision goes, the present Governor, Pastor Umo Eno is a chip off the same old block. His ARISE Agenda is an equally ambitious governance blueprint that puts accent on Agricultural Revolution, Rural Development, Infrastructural Maintenance, Security Management and Educational Advancement. In our encounters during the Guild conference that lasted 5 days, one could feel his deep passion to build on the success of his predecessors, or possibly surpass it.
A good salesman, Umoh will proudly fill up every meeting with enticing tales about Akwa Ibom, from the mundane to the esoteric. In one case, he started with gastronomy and regaled us on how their culinary prowess has elevated edikang-ikong, vegetable soup, affang, fisherman soup etc, to high art. The next minute he moved to elevated matters of the economy and civil aviation and how Ibom Air is growing at a phenomenal rate as the nation’s leading airline.
A.I
Tags: Sheddy Ozoene
