UDOM-ECSTASY: DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP AND JOYFUL EXPECTATIONS By Aniekeme Finbarr Akwa Ibom State is on an ambitious journey of having a global impact for a safe and sustainable future, growing a viable, self sustaining state, and developing new and viable markets. It is a journey that requires excellent leadership, flawless management and the hard work of every stakeholder in the New Akwa Ibom Project. It requires above all a Governor with the right disposition and brain capacity to lead the state. My best pick from the pool of aspirants jostling to take over from Governor Godswill Akpabio is Udom Emmanuel. Being the governor of Akwa Ibom state is beyond just having talent. It is beyond street popularity. It is beyond beauty and personal accolades. It is beyond accumulating so much stolen wealth from government coffers. It is beyond recognition and award by familiarity based on collegial association. Rather, it is based on exemplary profile, outstanding credential, performance pedigree, discipline, social attributes, social etiquettes, past/present achievements and experiences, integrity, professionalism, modernization, flexibility and tolerance to embrace constructive criticism. Udom Emmanuel, a Performer, an Achiever, a renowned and Credentialed Financial Controller and Manager, an Agent, an Apostle of Transformation and Sustainable Development, an internationally recognized Accountant and Investor, a seasoned Technocrat, one of the most sought-after in his profession worldwide, is one whose feet I may say, have best fitted the only shoe size of the Akwa Ibom State governorship office, The quality of leadership, more than any other single factor, determines the success or failure of an organisation. To lead is to inspire, to influence and to initiate productive change within people and processes as we move toward our vision. Being a leader means determination to create a path rather than following others. It means setting a direction and continuously looking for new solutions to the ever-changing needs and expectations around us. This way the leader, like Udom will contribute to a stronger image, reputation and credibility of our state while we continue to providing value to our stakeholders. Udom Emmanuels leadership expectations are embodied in creating value, driving positive change, bringing out the best in people, being accountable, being tough-minded and fair and being loyal beyond personal interest. His open and outstanding record can proof this claim. Udom has a great personality. He is sympathetic, empathetic, steady, kind, assertive, integrous, proficient, efficient, competent, aggressive, experienced, intelligent, mature, humble, attentive, generous, God fearing, broken, educated, honest, trust worthy, loyal, not greedy, and modernized. These are attributes of a great leader. Udom Emmanuels life and achievements have laid down the blue print or the foundation of what is to come for the people of Akwa Ibom State in the near future, but one that without a doubt, will drum Akwa Ibom State’s industrialization and massive development scheme on the center stage of global industrialization. Udom is ready to build Akwa Ibom beyond the blue print of current infrastructural developments laid down by the visionary and transformer, Governor Godswill Akpabio, to massive urban creation and developments throughout the state. Udom cannot wait to enhance youth empowerment in Akwa Ibom State through massive Educational Training and Investment opportunities geared towards massive Job Creation, and Employments of jobless Akwa Ibom indigenes, including those in the Diasporas. AKS is ready to embrace massive Industrialization, Human Resource Development and Creation of Middle Class Economy, Healthcare Transformation through Implementation of Innovative Healthcare Delivery Systems, Building of Modern Hospitals and Modernization of Existing Infrastructures, Construction of New Urban and Rural Roads and Settlements, and the Expansion of Existing Roads and settlements, improvement of Water treatments Plants, Environmental Control and Management, and Face- lifting of dilapidated state government structures throughout the State. This is what Udom Emmanuel stands for; a man passionately waiting to take Akwa Ibom State through the 21 st Century having been challenged by his predecessor’s uncommon transformation scheme. Akwa Ibom State does not lack the raw ingredients to brew to transform us into an eminently prosperous society . We have them aplenty. There is a landmass that competes with the size of many countries. This implies that size isn’t essentially the issue. There is more to owning a treasure. We also have enormous foreign- currency magnetising resources, chief of which is crude oil. This has proved, over the decades, near inexhaustible. But it is deceptive wealth as it hasn’t led us to the Promised Land. Not yet. Again what I deduce here is that it is not enough to possess seemingly bottomless wealth. What do you do with our wealth from the Federal treasury? Who handles it? In whose custody is it for optimum utility? . A breakdown of the statistics indicates that most of Akwa Ibomites are vibrant young men and women ready to work productively for the fatherland but they are either forced straight into crime or idleness which eventually leads them into anti-social activity and parasitism! On this score also, I discern that to have large human resources is not the magic wand for the greatness of a State. Something in the form of a direction must come along. Matching this dynamic population input in the mix is a rich potpourri of our cultural diversity coupled with an impressive array of investment potentials that can spin us hard currency , local and foreign investments and jobs if the state finds its way into the hands of a visionary and committed leader . But one more time, as it is with the other resources we have mentioned, something vital is missing and making the system malfunction tragically . Ditto for politics. We can truly boast of fulfilling all the righteousness of the political process: periodic elections, party primaries, going on the hustings to campaign, voter registration, massive media enlightenment on polling. Yet the majority of the people don’t enjoy the dividends of democracy for who all these mammoth motions and rituals are performed. Again the sad refrain: something is missing! What is the problem and where is it? Certainly the problem is not in our stars. It is in the calibre of leadership. Akwa Ibom State does not need a successor after Godswill Akpabio that would build a bungalow on the solid foundation laid by Akpabio. But can Udom Emmanuel build on it? For a man who was a director at a notable bank and a member of the reputable Agro-Allied Economists, a World Bank initiative for building internationally accepted agro-allied concerns across the globe to eradicate food shortages in the world, will his not being a political jobber stop him from delivering democratic dividends in a state where economy, commerce and agriculture are of importance? The answer is no. Akwa Ibom State cannot afford to get a Governor who is railroaded into the seat of power without any demonstration of ability to comprehend the problems of our societies on the basis of which they could fashion a sustainable plan. Udom Emmanuel is that leader who has not only demonstrated a capacity for creative thinking; his resource management capability is evident from his work. The new song is Udom Emmanuel and every man, woman, youth and child is singing it with joy and ecstasy. Welcome to a new world, welcome to the cheerful world of UDOMECSTASY!
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:43:57 +0000