Now That Attah Has Spoken

When we converged last weak in this column in the interaction, “The fight to Liberate: One Man, One Stone, I paid tribute to Mr. David Augustine, Editor-in-Chief, Weekly Global Insight for a piece he wrote about some junta lords who are Scheming to come back to power after dumping us in this dingy some donkey years ago. I was in a debate with some supporters of candidate recycling and refurbishment when I had a copy of the page in question.

He wrote and told us the need to uphold the will of the people even when such does not favor our configured interest as was the case of the June 12 election which was botched by the evil genius. Till date, we have not had an election which is adjudged credible, free and fair as the June, 12 election.

How sad! I come from Nigeria, a country where due process and transparency are not sought and upheld by the people in position of authority. That has long taken toll on us, I mean after 48 year of independence, Nigeria has not gotten reliable source of power supply to its citizens and the effect is the importation, the slavery to foreign economy as we have imported such and such generating plants which can't save a household satisfactorily. Because our country has not provided us with reliable source of power, we have been accustomed in noise pollution and air pollution and many have lost their lives to it. That is one sin most of the junta “boys|” committed and they don't feel ashamed of themselves rather they are telling us they are the messiah to be re elected.

Most of that would have been said, but for the mean time, it is sufficient to say that as Israelites in Egypt, so acquainted with grieve and suffering posed to us by this very people we omittedly call our leaders, next time they want our vote, we will do so to them with stone for them to feel the pains we have lived with these gone 48 years following independence. Oh yes.

Now Obong Attah has spoken. He has spoken about 2011. He has spoken about the state he, a “bloody civilian” dared the greet Ota farmer to the consternation of many who judged him by his size and colour and not his intellectual quota. We never made mistake to wait for him for speak. For one reason, he is the known political leader of Ibibio race living and his submissios cannot be ignored for any reason. He is the great “Obong” in the midst of other Obong.
Many people who criticized the Ibibios for converging at Asan Ibibio to endorse Chief Godswill Akpabio as the sole candidate for Akwa Ibom State in 2011 did so because it was done at total disregard of this great Obong in the race. He should have been a key player there if it was properly thought out and necessary at the first instance. Instead of Otuekong Idongeist Nkanga, he should have chaired the occasion. Reason? On matters of war, we shall like to consult Air Marshall Nsikak Eduok, Air Comr. Idongesit Nkanga, group captain Sam Enwang, all retired military sons of Ibibio race, they have experience in the art.

In politic, the use of power and peoples' wealth to provide for all, we shall mention Obong Ikpaisong Ibibio ye Ananng, Chief Eyo Uyo, God rest his noble soul in peace, Obong Victor Attah and very view others living, Otuekong Nkanga who chaired that event will not come in because He has never won any election in Akwa Ibom State to establish his political acceptability by the Ibibios in particular, the Ananngs and Oro inclusive. Because of this and other political mistakes, a wrong set of people were grouped to take a wrong decision against a race and that decision, if further analyzed, lacked the authority to command acceptance by right thinking members of the public.

Imagine “traditional” father leaving tradition to make “political” judgement without recourse to their character before the public. Many people who want to the event went purposely to take a look at the names and faces sold, staged and manage the exercise. While it was white-washed and veneered in state controlled media, it was marred by criticisms which climaxed at the conclusion that, politicians in Ibibio will take political decision for the race and not opportunist who forayed into politics here and now. Those who thought well and reasoned logically joined me that time to condemn the attempted barring of supposed aspirants without their consent to contest in an election during a democratic era.

Democracy cannot be practiced and choice can not be made where there is only one candidate (aspirant as the case is) is there to bid and no election nor voting can be carried out in such circumstance. This is why Hon Ita Enang and some Akwa Ibom caucus in the national and state Assembly erred when they accepted or stop to protest against that endorsement which if it was accepted would have put the Nigerian constitution to naught. The constitution does not recognize any term as, “sole candidacy” or “endorsement” which Otuekong Idongeist Nkanga in collaboration with a divided Ifim Ibom Ibibio staged at the sacred Asan Ibibio.


I'm sorry to take you back to this sad memory, but I have to do so, because Hon. Ita Enang recently strike allegiance to the incumbency by insulting the senses of Ibibio people when he Spate fire on Obong Attah for giving his consent to the gubernatorial aspiration of senator John James Akpanudoedehe. What crime did Obong Attah comit when he told the people about how he contested with “more than ten people” within the same PDP that according to Prince Uwem Ita Etuk, has already given her Ak guber ticket to Dr. Godswill Akpabio even before the primary election thereby barring every other fellow from contesting? What sin did Akwa Eduek Ekpe of Asutan Ekpe Committed when he warned the PDP that if it ignores the wishes and will of its members who have since shifted emphasize to the Edehe man, it will lose this state? Was that not even at the interest of the PDP if at all they care? As a law maker, should Barr. Ita Enang not concerns himself to due process and transparency other than cowing the people to become spineless yes men in the face of tyranny, oppression and frightening poverty?

I wonder what will become of this trinity lawmaker who is going for the seat of Uyo senatorial district. He seems to have out lived his usefulness and sense or reasoning. Any one can learn from Obong Attah's action. Even when he convinced the mammoth crowed that Udoedehe was the best candidate to bid, he still said others who don't feel so with him are free to contest in the next election.

But our lawmakers, the ilk of Barr. Ita Enang want to force their opinion on all of us because we eat at his table, dress from his wardrobe and withdraw from their accounts. They want us to swallow their opinion hook, line and sinker because we went to school with their scholarship and our sons and grandsons will not feed without them. We must follow them blindly because we can no longer think for ourselves. Were we there when (if) they took oath of solidarity with the incumbency to return them by thunder by fire? We have a leader in Ibibio politics and when He speaks it is either I or Hon. Ita Enang and others accept it or leave it. But a leader have spoken and if have waited for him to speak, then we must enter the route he has pointed to.

We have waited for Obong Attah to speak and he says Senator John Udoedehe is the right choice for 2011. It is Plain Talk for plain people. You are entitled to your opinion.