THE 20th Dec Uyo Stadium Assault

Source: huhuonline.com

Editor, It must have come unexpected to Governor Akpabio at the THISDAY Peace Concert that held inside Uyo Stadium 20/12/09 as angry crowd hauled at him missiles of pure pure water sachets and canned drinks. When I read this off an online publication, I was not convinced it happened. I promptly put a phone call to a friend in Uyo who confirmed the incident.


I just concluded that if that could happen to Akpabio, a sitting governor, it could be that people were just trying to let out their bottled frustrations and further confirmation that the earlier publicized endorsements of the governor by the people were either arranged or induced. I know of stoning a governor when out of office as in the case of Edo State; when former Governor Lucky Igbinedion was stoned immediately after handing over to another falsely inaugurated PDP governor. I blame Akpabio for having callously announced that for the Concert, which did not have direct benefit to the common people or musicians from Akwa Ibom, he spent N140million for. I feel the announcement enraged the crowd.


But again, if such a thing could happen and the Press that the masses rely on as their last hope decided to play down on the incident, then we are in danger. A comprised Press is as good as a half-dead Press. No matter the inducement, the Pen should be mightier than Sword or Cash, therefore total blackout of the incident by the print media was not good. This would encourage the media houses based outside the Akwa Ibom State to query their respective correspondents in Uyo, unless we are being made to understand that the order was from the respective media organizations. If so, how then do we grow our democracy and progress as a people; ideas that required the media's support? Publishing this piece would go to show that the media is in solidarity with the majority, on good governance.


Biodun Bashiru Lati,

Solomon Lar Way,

Utako District, Abuja.

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