Election: The Folly Of A Drop-Out And Kleptomaniac Called Aniekeme Finbarr

By Bassey Abia Assam

There are times when you hold your breath, bury yourself in silent hopes and fervently mutter some sincere prayers that a young man will resist the youthful nudge to exhibit the same folly and vainglory exhibited by 'Nza the bird' which the popular Igbo proverb as captured in Chinua Achebe's bestseller, Things Fall Apart, says made the grave mistake of overestimating himself after a heavy meal, that he had to challenge his Chi (god) to fight.

But then, being well-fed comes with the illusory temptation of dwelling within the precipice of self-magnification, so one could excuse the acts that are fuelled by such state of being.

However, one becomes so worried when a young man who does not even in his wildest dreams exist within the precincts of people who the society will classify as being well-fed tries to draw attention to himself by exhibiting the same folly that can only be excusable in people who are well fed.


That is the grave crime a riffraff and a ne'er-do-well Aniekeme Finbarr committed when he commissioned himself as the savior of Mr Udom Emmanuel and made a desperate but failed attempt to refute the submissions made by my Principal, Amb. Assam Assam, (SAN) in an open letter he wrote to the Secretary to the state Government.

I will not belabor myself to offer an issue based response to Dropout Aniekeme Finbarr as the pathetic situation he now exist as a dropout robs him of the cherished luxury of engaging in a fact-based discourse which is the exclusive preserve of intellectuals which unfortunately will take Aniekeme Finbarr at least four years to come, to even come close to.


I discovered the futility of attempting to dignify Dropout Aniekeme Finbarr in a fact-based intellectual discourse on reading the title of his histrionics which in his perception could for a reply to my boss. He made reference to my boss as 'a drowning man'.

The million dollar question that I put across to the intellectuals reading this piece is: Between an accomplished legal luminary who has acted as counsel to the government of different states, including Akwa Ibom and men of no mean repute, and a pathetic University of Uyo dropout, who fits perfectly into the description of a drowning man? Pray tell, wasn't Dropout Aniekeme Finbarr exhibiting the tendencies of a drowning man when he decided to rob himself in, in a fight between people who occupy an upper position in the food chain, a place Aniekeme Finbarr might never rise in his life to?


For one thing, Mr Udom Emmanuel is an accomplished Banker, my principal Amb Assam Assam is not only a legal luminary who has climbed to the highest point of his career - being a Senior Advocate of Nigeria but also an accomplished diplomat whose appointment as Ambassador to nation like Russia and Belarus was informed by his brilliance.

The question is who is Dropout Aniekeme Finbarr? Just a pathetic, poverty-stricken dropout who is trying to just lay hold on anything to make ends meet. I am an architect and I relate with people on the basis of my professional calling. It's only pathetic that Dropout Aniekeme Finbarr does not have any professional standing to mingle with us.


For the benefit and of new residents in Uyo, it is pertinent to say that, Aniekeme Finbarr, being the only son of his father, Late Finbarr Ukpong, who passed on early this year, was sent out of the department of University of Uyo about half a decade ago, due to his inability to cope with the rigors of academics. His mates who were in the same class of Law with Dropout Aniekeme Finbarr in the prestigious University of Uyo, which I am also a proud alumni, are now lawyers; some will soon be appointed magistrates in the court of Law.

He left the school in his third year after setting an all time low record of obtaining a CGPA of 1.65. Since then, he has been hopping from one office to another looking for how to make ends meet. Initially, his late father did not know that his son was a drop out until a lecturer Barr. Francize Ekwere informed him that his son was just perambulating in school without any course form and class admit card. This incident led to the demise of his father, who developed high blood pressure and died early this year. It will not be out of place to say that, Anieke Finbarr's recklessness indirectly killed his father, who would have still been alive.

As soon as his father was buried, he went and inherited the only car of the deceased even when the mother was crying and rolling on the floor begging him to leave it for her. His involvement in Udom's gubernatorial campaign is ridiculous as people that know him have been asking the million dollar question: 'why should a drop-out take such active part'.

Sometime ago, I understand that, he led young professionals to Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt with a view of drumming support for Udom. That was one of the most laughable acts I have heard of this year. In fact, even his colleague in school, Mr. Emem Utuk who is now a lawyer queried, 'If Ofonime Eno AKA Kpozo, is a lawyer and young professional, Idongesit Udofot is an estate valuer and a young professional, Eric Ekwere is a media expert and a young professional, what is Aniekeme Finbarr who dropped out of school in our year three doing in the midst of such people?

The mere fact that Aniekeme Finbarr is allowed to be a part of that group, who want the public to see them as Young professional has diminished any iota of respect the public would have had for such a group.'


It will be recalled that, the said Dropout Finbarr was ejected out of Bush House, In Abuja by Akparawa Michael Bush on noticing that, he stole two thousand naira in a bundle of 1000 naira notes given to Bush by one of his clients. This incident infuriated Bush who regretted ever having anything to do with him and sacked him through the police station without giving him a dime, not even a transport fare to Uyo.

Since then, he has been trying to work as an adjunct staff in Love FM as well as squat with his friend in a one room apartment along Urua Ekpa road whenever he finds himself in Uyo, before joining the Udom Gabriel Emmanuel team as a self-commissioned media assistant. But could a man who wants to be the governor of our state employ someone without asking of his certificate? Na waooo?

It will be preferable for Udom to ensure that, whoever man media for him owns at least the basic qualification. How can such a Kleptomaniac and drop out spearhead the ship of Udom's media?

While advising my principal not to join issues with him, I want to urge Finbarr to call and organize a fund launch and use the proceeds to purchase a JAMB form and start school even if it's College of Education, because the next government of Akwa Ibom State under the leadership of ASSAM ASSAM will not employ a drop-out, a kleptomaniac and a busy body.


I understand that, his boss the Secretary to the state government Master Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, has replied my boss letter, there is no cause for alarm, as my boss will soon put his ink in paper. I call him master, because he is still a child and cannot take any decision without his 'demigod'.


May the court rise! Coooouuuurrrrrtttttt!!!

BASSEY ABIA ASSAM is a Socio-political analyst based in Akwa Ibom State

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