Akwa Ibom State vs Godswill Akpabio: One Ant vs Millions of Elephants
Since 2007, Godswill Akpabio has been cooking for the people of Akwa Ibom State. Despite the poor taste of the food and the bad cooking that comes with it, the people ate, and are still eating, in silence and with patience. Under self-induced illusion, in addition to empty and meaningless praises by those who have been lying to him, Akpabio really believed that just because none of those under his governance complained about his style of cooking, it meant that the people were happy and satisfied with his meals. He was wrong!
As soon as he made public his thoughtless and self-serving decision to impose a successor on them, the people decided to band together and form a united front to return the favor that Akpabio has been doing to them since 2007; they are ready to cook for him.
Though the food is yet to be prepared, from all indications, as demonstrated by his recent erratic behaviors, it appears as if Akpabio is scared-stiff on knowing that he will not be able to consume what the entire state is preparing for him. And the people have warned Akpabio that there will be a fight if he refuses to eat their food.
The interesting part of this cooking business is that those who are now leading the fight to cook for Akpabio are the very ones who used to help Akpabio in preparing the terrible meals he handed over to the people on a daily basis. I am referring to the likes of Umanas, the Alberts, the Ekeres, the Etiebets, and the Ekpenyongs.
For this former cooks of Akpabio to be on the other side of the kitchen is a clear prove that in Nigeria's version of politics, even God may not be able to determine what will happen the next day; remember how God regretted creating man? “The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the Lord said, 'I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth….'” (Genesis 6: 5-7—NIV).
Moving on…..
The fight between Godswill Akpabio and the people of Akwa Ibom State is like millions of elephants ganging up to fight a single ant. A casual onlooker may be forced to conclude that the ant has no chance of standing up to one single elephant, let alone millions. But in this matter of Akwa Ibom State, the ant has more weapons than the elephants. Let's say Akpabio is the ant. Akpabio has control of the money and access to the corridor of power at the national level. Those who are ready to fight him have the will and the majority of the people behind them, but with limited money and limited access to the corridor of power. The question then becomes; who will win the fight? To answer the question, let us look at what they are actually fighting for.
The fight between Godswill Akpabio and the people is focused on the matter of him (Akpabio) imposing a successor on them. The people want the nomination process to be free and fair where any qualified indigene can register to contest for governorship, irrespective of political zone, sex, or dialectical origin (not ethnic, because Akwa Ibom State is made up of only one ethnic group—Ibibio). But Akpabio is very resistant to what the people want and as far he is concerned, it is either his choice of a successor or he will render Akwa Ibom State an ungovernable entity.
To be continued------
Ikpafak Thompson Essien
The Voice of the Poor Masses
Defender of the Oppressed
Social Critic
A native of Ibibio nation of Ubium Republic extraction, now living in the safe and beautiful city of Portland, Oregon, where no AKPF, ADUMA, ADV, and Akwa Ibom State politicians can reach.