By Aniekan Udofia
Governor of Akwa Ibom State Umo Eno is among the 16 newly sworn in chief executives who took the oath of the office for the first time. Many of them have hit the ground running to rekindle a new hope and spirit amongst their people. Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, Peter Mbah of Enugu State and others have all shown visible signs of POSITIVE change, with emphasis on positive given the new meaning the APC government of former President Buhari gave the word change.
Governor of Akwa Ibom State Umo Eno conveniently passes amongst governors who came prepared for the task ahead. His policy directions and statements have made a very striking impression of the man and power.
The office of the governor is by every standard an exalted one. The glitz, power, security, attention, influence, and above all power of the purse are enough to make any occupier intoxicated. In fact, there are those within the corridors of power whose have made it a job to remind the individual that, “ETTE AFO DO GOFNOR” translates to mean, father you are the governor. They will drum it constantly in the ears of the occupier and carry out eye service actions to justify their loyalty, not necessarily to the man but the office. Perhaps the reason in the last days of the former governor Mr Udom Emmanuel, the usual large entourage at the airport to receive him on return to the state was a sorry sight. The house of the incoming governor in the later days was the new mecca.
Umo Eno, who grew up in the barracks, at close quarters may have witnessed the diminishing effect of power of senior police officers just a few hours of bowing out of office. Umo Eno, the son of a former police officer, may have seen firsthand how the powers of the IGP vanishes on leaving office. No better person can tell you of the transient nature of power than a child who grew up where power was wielded in its raw form.
All these may have shaped Umo Eno’s view of the office he now occupies. The knows clearly the line of our folktales; STORY! STORY! STORY; ONCE UPON A TIME,TIME, TIME. THERE WAS A MAN……It is these lines that define Arc. Obong Victor Attah , Sen. Godswill Akpabio and just recently Mr Udom Emmanuel.
Umo Eno, conscious of this, has clearly demystified the office of the governor. In his recent outings, the man has shown clearly his true nature of milk of kindness and humanity. Not many times you will hear a governor scream; LEAVE THEM TO COME! At the popular fruit junction in Nsit Ubium, it was not that his stopping over was new to a governor, but it is that the dimension of his, showed empathy.
The footage from his interaction with children of police officers living close to the Government House was so heartwarming and inspiring that it reignited hope. With Umo Eno, any child can dream. A striking part of his conversation with the children was when he said, “So take this go and share. Who is the most senior person here? You are Goodness? I won’t forget your name o. Make sure you share it. Don’t cheat them o.” And the money was presented in an envelope with dignity. It is not the first time he has said this. In one instance, after giving a group of people money, he said, “Please ensure that the money goes round at least Hundred Thousand Naira each. I know the number of people here before I gave what I gave.”
His dislike for people being shortchanged is evident. The reason he holds strong to the bible scripture that says; “The husbandmen that laboreth must be the first to partake of the fruits.”
At the Thanksgiving Service held at Ibom Hall Grounds, he chose to hold his umbrella by himself moving to the podium. At the celebration of the 4th Anniversary of Ibom Air, he was on ground outside of Ibom Tropicana Mall to join the party.
Everywhere he makes a stop, he leaves the impression that I am first of all Pastor Umo Eno before His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno. With the way the governor has demystified the office, there is hope that my nephews and nieces in my village Afaha Abia and my mother’s village Afia Nsit Udua Nko will some day shake the hands of the Governor. And I can bet that on that day, no DSS will be allowed to suffer the little children from coming to their father.
