No gain saying the fact that the dreaded and rampaging Covid 19 Pandemic which has taken the world by storm since the 11th hour of 2019 has exposed the emptiness of some leaders globally, yet, it has bring to limelight, Leaders with sound leadership prowess and intellectuals.
The approach of world leaders towards fighting the ‘vaccineless’ killer disease remains the unbiased umpire that separate intellectuals and visionary leaders from ‘pay as you go leaders’.
In Nigeria, the Covid 19 Pandemic has conducted a compulsory leadership examination to both the President Muhamadu Buhari led Federal Government and the 36 State Governors.
A result of what academia would describe as ‘Paper 1’ has already proven who is who among the Governors and the runners of Federal Government.
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has been proven by both medical and political pundits to be a model fighter of the deadly pandemic.
His policies towards tackling the disease is not only a way out, but the best among the 36 states Governors. This is evident by the fact that though surrounded by territories with Confirmed Cases, Governor Ayade’s State, Cross River, has recorded no case of Covid 19, be it Suspected or Confirmed.
A careful examination of his approach towards the fight against Covid 19 shows a high record of excellent steps starting from his “Lock Out, not Lock Down” policy.
Governor Ayade was the first Governor in Nigeria to close the state borders as a first practical approach to ensure a Zero Case in Cross River, thereby locking out all potential carriers of Covid 19 from the state rather than lock down the State. His personal, physical and regular vigil at various bothers of the state give birth to full compliance of the border blockage, an act no Governor has been able to beat before or after.
While his counterparts are sending few cups of rice and garri to citizens in the name of palliatives to subsidize the effect of lockdown in their respective states, Governor Ayade adopted a long term approach of palliatives by giving out over eight thousand (8000) jobs to the unemployed citizens with no one collecting nothing less than thirty thousand monthly while the already employed smile home with full and prompt payment of their allowances and other incentives. Even in the middle of the Covid 19 Pandemic, political appointments are still being given out by Governor Ayade, despite the fact that he remains the only Governor with the highest number of political appointees – all in a bid to ensure that no single family in Cross River State lacks a monthly take home. The vision here is to ensure that even though the pandemic tarries to end, Cross Riverians won’t feel the economic effect. Nevertheless, this is in addition to the thousands of bags of rice, tubers of yam, other food items as well as sanitizers and toiletries distributed particularly to the vulnerables through the traditional rulers. This is even as other Governors are yet to understand the need for long term plan for the Covid 19.
Shockingly, Cross River is currently the only state that is benefiting economically from the Covid 19 Pandemic. While other states have shut down their economy, Cross River State is getting their economy still bubble typically with production of millions of nose mask in the state owned garment factory which is one of the basic Covid 19 preventive materials. His constant visit to the garment factory (both scheduled and non scheduled) to inspect the production of the nose mask as well as the doubling of the salary for the staff of the factory has placed Governor Ayade among the premium Leaders, not only in Nigeria but globally.
Dozens of cars have be acquired and millions of naira budgeted to tackle the pandemic in the State and ensure a Zero Case.
Ayade’s proactive approach in combating the Covid 19 has justify the call on Federal Government by millions of Nigeria to engage Governor Ayade in the forefront of the country’s Covid 19 taskforce committee if at all Nigeria needs a way out of the dreaded Pandemic.
Above all, Governor Ayade’s intellectual capacity and visionary Leadership quality are assets Nigeria can explore to reposition itself in the present 21st century especially as 2023 is approaching. His obvious defeat of Covid 19 in Cross River State, increased employment, prompt payment of salaries, industrial revolution with not less than 10 viable industries, signature projects particularly the deep seaport and economic boom all achieved with meager resources of averagely 1 billion naira monthly are convincing testimonies of his potential and capacity to serve Nigeria as a country.