Efio-Ita Nyok|22 September 2016
The Executive Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade may pass as the most criticised of the 36 incumbent state governors of the Federation as at the present political dispensation. The cache of Gov Ayade's critics are in the state opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). But, beyond that I dare say Ayade is about the most unpopular of politicians in his own state, sentiment aside, I stand to be corrected.
At the beginning of Gov Ben Ayade's administration in 29 May 2015 the state boss was always seen sprouting around town with dark goggles, one commentator, rather prefers 'black goggles' for emphasis may be. If my memory doesn't fail me, a leading social commentator, Ifere Paul, had observed last year that Ayade's consistent use of dark goggles in every official occasion doesn't spell well of His Excellency's public relations rating. In fact, Ayade was seen to persistently use dark shades in every and anything official —whether welcoming a foreign diplomat, interfacing with investors in a discussion, reading from a script, sitting/standing in front of a camera, or staying in a relatively dark room, addressing his aides, despite criticisms.
Ayade's acerbic critics may have given up on him in this regards as in other cases of characteristic insensitivity and immunity to change. Albeit, to their surprise, as if it is recently he started hearing/reading of the criticisms of his poor PR that the state governor was seen to be using a transparent shade. Unbelievable! The choleric public officer finally gave in to his critics. This couldn't go unnoticed as Ayade's media aides, who are routed in between defending the glaringly lame policies of their principal and the hollow agenda of the state governing party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the advent of an inept state PDP Publicity Secretary, are now seen to consistently use the picture of His Excellency when he uses the transparent eyeglasses.
Ogon Bonaventure Ojah, a critic of the same senatorial district of the governor recently gave vent to how he relished the experience of his state governor bending to criticism in this context. Hear him out:
HAHAHA…BEN AYADE FROM BLACK GOGGLES TO TRANSPARENT EYEGLASSES:
My persistent criticism of Ayade always on black goggles has made him start wearing transparent glass. His excessive greed for wealth is compared to his outdated boggy hairstyle. The boggy hairstyle was fashionable in the 19th and 20th century, we are now in the 21st century. My dear governor, each time I see your boggy hairstyle I remember your ill-plan super highway from Bakassi to Ogoja its so straight like your boggy…, may God deliver us Cross Riverians from the clutches of Ben and Frank Ayade amen.'
Critic Ojah aired his mind 19 September via social media. Beginning with amending to criticisms against a perceived poor PR, may be His Excellency is about to take Cross Riverians on an auto reverse on reneging on unpopular public policies and body languages. Congratulations governor Ben Ayade.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of NegroidHaven.org