Edward Ntebri Egbelo|24 May 2016|6:10am
Since 1999, when democracy had its space in Nigeria, Cross River State have suffered from many land/boundary issues, amongst other economic woes. From the Donalds to the Imokes, the state has always had issues that in most situations 'beg' for national/international intervention, with the state not been favoured in most of these cases. Many have faulted these defeats on the fact that they have been so much of political imbalance in the governance of the state and country at large. But what many Cross Riverians fail to understand is that Cross River State has so many enemies within her-own-self and the state requires a leader with the boldness you find in the person of Gov. Ayade.
It is disheartening and unfortunate to note that there are Cross Riverians who fight the state for selfish political reasons. When past governments fought issues confronting the state then, these administrative leaders fought with zeal and strength, but so many fought so hard to thwart their efforts and it led to the loss of some of the state's patrimony of which many are seeking answers for questions that never existed.
It will be unpatriotic to compare Governor Ayade with past governors, but it is important to note that Governor Ayade fights for the state with not just strength and zeal, but with passion and commitment. He sees the state as a conclave that have to start making critical decisions in other to restore her dignity, and undoubtedly that is the kind of leader the state needs dearly at this critical moment of consistent dwindling revenues.
The category of individuals who want Governor Ayade to fail are those who believe in selling the heritage of the state for political popularity. The exposure of Gov. Ayade sickens this set of individuals, they see his potentials as a threat to the old vulnerable Cross River State they have always been benefiting selfishly from. A true leader is like harvested honey, it might come from a congregation of less-significant individuals, but it can still give taste to a large collection of waters. Cross River State is not the problem to these individuals, Gov. Ayade is their problem, not just because he has stopped them from eating from the honey-comb that produces honey for the entire state, but because he is a product of a new-school of practical and working solutions. Precisely, what aches them is that he has defeated most of the challenges he inherited as a State Governor.
Their frustrations started from the Superhighway and now the Garment Factory, which will holistically transform the economic dimension of the state. Cross River State in its real sense was not structured by her forefathers to be just a tourism state, but was structured to be a Tourism/Business hub. Tourism works with commerce, both appreciates each other.
Deep down “those who want Ayade to fail” their conscience troubles them, but they feel defeated if they eventually concede to the fact that they are in the modern Cross River State, where a leader believes in making the impossible a living reality, for the benefit of the entire state. These thirsty enemies of the state prefer a Cross River State where very few individuals will be favoured and the lowly marched upon as dust in a timber market, but it is obvious that the man on the helm of affairs, governs the state from the perspective of equality, justice and fairness. Governor Ayade believes in Cross River State, he celebrates the cultural aspect of Cross River State many are shy of broadcasting.
A critical look at these critics suggests that non of these so-called concerned citizens of the state have done anything laudable since the history of the state. Most times, they try to judge Gov. Ayade as a governor, not taking into cognizance the fact that he was once a senator who fought endlessly to ensure sanity is restored in the Red Chambers of the National Assembly. As a Senator, he was concerned about what the common Nigerian feels about decisions that were passed in the Senate and many Cross Riverians benefited from his goodwill.
Cross River State was not built on pillars of betrayal and hatred, Cross River State was built on pillars of peace, unity, beauty, patriotism and harmony.
God bless Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade.
God bless Cross River State.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Edward Ntebri Egbelo
Writes from Calabar.