Attah's Prayer, Akpabio's Cross

By Osondu Ahirika

The Cross is a venerated article of faith for Christians. To professing believers in Christ Jesus, it is the very signification of His passion, humiliation, suffering and 'shameful' death for our sins. Indeed Scripture says cursed be any man who hangeth upon the tree (read Cross). As a matter of fact, Jesus' fate was sealed that He would end up crucified on the Cross of Calvary for the sins of the world. Even when He prayed against it, He still was sure God's will must be done and so He died albeit to save humankind from eternal doom. To those who believe in Him, He says they should carry their Cross and follow him.
Yet, the same Cross is a symbol of redemption, salvation and hope. It is the ultimate metaphor of trial, tribulation and triumph. One can end up either side of those dissimilar ends. Really, the Cross is life. It is about compassion for humanity. That's reason, the Red Cross Society use the symbol to represent their humanitarian good deeds all over the world. In this context today, I shall discuss Governor Akpabio from both oxymoronic prisms. But first let me usher Ex Governor Victor Attah, his erstwhile boss, political godfather and predecessor on stage.
There is no doubt that His Excellency, Victor Attah is embittered with his successor. The current cold war over having or not having a state burial for the late wife of Obong Attah, former First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Chairperson and Founder of Child Development Care, Her Excellency, Nnenyin Allison Attah says it all. Obong Attah's wholesale rejection of the State burial for his spouse, preferring a private arrangement against standard practice is a stubborn dagger drawn

Truth be said, this father is yet to forgive his son. Reading Obong Attah's posturing, body language and lips since he left office, and since his falling apart with Chief Akpabio, I discern, he has but one prayer subconsciously encrypted and pronounced for Governor Akpabio. “May he (Akpabio) be confused as I was over installing a successor and may the Pharaoh who comes after him not know Joseph”.
Folks', if you comprehend the wide ranging ramifications of this spell (call it curse) cast on Akpabio by Obong Attah, then, if you love Chief Akpabio as much as I do (No one can controvert the fact that I am a dye-in-the wool admirer of Governor Akpabio), there is real reason to fear that this spell is Governor Akpabio's cross. God forbid though! May it never turn out to be his albatross. I shall simply proceed to offer Chief Akpabio, inspired tips on how to circumvent Attah's“Voodoo” and trample upon the serpentine spells unconsciously transmitted in his cosmic space and still come to no bruise. I wish and pray Chief Akpabio does not dismiss me as a ranting clown like the proverbial Cinna the Poet, who pleaded with Julius Ceaser, to “beware the ides of March”.

I'm sorry it may hurt, but I will urge Chief Akpabio to backtrack to Obong Attah's open letter to him entitled: MY ADVICE ON THE PROPOSED TROPICANA PROJECT, first published on P.17 of Daily Sun, Monday May 25, 2009 edition. This done, he will sniff out the prayer of Attah there. To summarize it, this Tropicana Galleria must not fail. If I were Chief Akpabio, I will redouble my urgent anger, intensified effort to shame Doubting Thomases about that edifice. Yes the Cinemaplex is working, but the Tropicana must come alive in totality, to deny Obong Attah the satisfaction of saying, “I predicted it”. Tropicana must not become the “Ibom Science Park” of the Akpabio administration. Holy Ghost Fire! As my Pentecostal brethren will chant.
Secondly, Governor Akpabio must not make the mistake of alienating his core loyalists. Like it or not, there are several people that can be tagged Akpabio Boys, like we had IBB Boys, Abacha Boys, OBJ Boys etc. These are people he uncommonly transformed from boys to men. History instructs that, he should in the twilight of his administration cultivate them as the footholds of his triumphal exit come 2015. That is the mistake Obong Attah lives to regret. He was maneuvered into committing political abortion, abandoning his and Castles, Bishops and Knights in the chess game of negotiating power. It is too late in the day to entreat and cement dependable loyalists from new recruits and sleep with both eyes closed in the run up to 2015. I shall not say more.
The third is however debatable. I read from Midweek Pioneer of Wednesday October 31, 2012, of the plans underway by Governor Akpabio to construct an underground tunnel transport facility in the state. If I was taken aback, his reiteration of this goal while presenting the Budget on November 20, 2012 before the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly confirmed my fears. If you ask me, I would say, thread softly softly my Governor. Writing on the theme, Secret Memo to the next Governor published on October 3, 2012 in several Newspapers in the state, I had leaked that the next governor to make his own mark should embark on a project his predecessors have not thought of. I suggested an underground subway station. Here is what I wrote! “The next governor has his job cut out for him if he is to make a mark. To enhearten himself to the people, he will have to conceive of something extraordinary. He could attempt an electric rail system, subway train station or God knows what.'' My fear is, some smart dude would have read that and quickly contrived a memo to Governor Akpabio who we all know adores lofty thinking and vision. There he bought the idea. I may not be correct, I'm assuming. Albeit, I will still register my conclusion.
If Governor Akpabio undertakes this underground tunnel transport facility and succeeds, then we would add royal diadems to his already over decorated crown. But, if he will not be able to accomplish it, given other money gulping projects like Olympic Standard Size Stadium, Tropicana, Ibaka Deep Sea Port among others, then he could spare himself the headache and face these ones head-on. He has done his best and history will give him kind mention. He must not do everything as he has nothing to prove again.
I don't want to live and witness Governor Akpabio's detractors say he was merely giving certification to Attah's infamous verdict in his open letter that, he (Akpabio) is using “… architecture and other edifices in ways both subtle and grandiose to impress, glorify or intimidate, as an expression of ego or bid for immortality”.
Governor Akpabio, methinks, can redirect his resources, to giving intra city roads all over Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Oron, Eket and other urban centres the modern spark he has brought as a trademark. There are so many untarred streets even in Uyo capital city. That will be great, I'm so sorry, if my submissions here hurt. But as an unrepentant and steadfast believer in your record and style of leadership, a candid suggestion means no harm.