BY ALISON PETERS
“Governor Akpabio could do more if the interpreters of his dream are more inclusive. It will serve his place in history if they remember that his rise to gubernatorial eminence did not stop at his attempt to gain nomination. The entire state voted as one for him, and I’m persuaded that he carries that as a burden which he will discharge by ensuring that the wellbeing of the people is taken care of… He would also do well to listen to the grumblings of the political players. They are saying, as politely as they can, they are trying to tell the Governor that there is hunger in the land. This is an urgent project for his Excellency”.
These were the legendary words of advice and goodwill of Arch. Otu Ita Toyo to his friend and state governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, as was widely noted by the public, and carried by the media sometime in December, 2009. Words of productive criticism aimed at catalyzing good/rewarding change; words resonating with truth, sincerity, and honest concern for the welfare of the people. Words that can only emanate from a towering leader in the class of a statesman, who has successfully risen beyond the limiting clutches of sham mundane politics and the unholy dishonesty, untruth, self aggrandizement, sycophancy, and multifaceted corruption and depravity that come with it.
How many of our so-called “leaders” still share and empathize with the masses and their plight? How many of them can still extend sound and sincere advice to their Governor? How many of them are still honest? How many of them still have integrity?
These questions yearning for cogent answers have become imperative because of the abyss we have collectively degenerated into, whereby from morning till night, from January to December, and in everything the Governor does or does not do, we witness our so-called “leaders” scrambling, falling over themselves to congratulate, extol and “felicitate” His Excellency, “such that they consequently no longer have room to offer him truthful advice”.
In the awareness of this deplorable state of affairs, it becomes doubly incumbent upon us to acknowledge and appreciate the few “true leaders” still existing in our midst, who by their utterances, activities and dispositions, stand out from the bunch of opportunists and parasites who suffocate the entire space of this Akwa Ibom with their sycophantic, self-serving, praise-singing profession, which so far has not brought any known benefit to the people of this state.
For his uncommon words of advice to our governor, when others engaged in deceitful jamboree, we must secede from the sham fanfare and appreciate Arch. Otu Ita Toyo. For exhibiting statesmanly integrity, sincerity and truth, in a generation where honesty has been murdered and buried, let us note him. For showing that we still have “true leaders” committed to pursuing and protecting the interest of the people, let us value him. For proving by his exemplary words highlighted above, that he is a true friend of our governor, who cares about his success, let us emulate Arch. Ita Toyo. It is only a true friend who offers sound advice, to serve as a guiding light, even when such advice may seem painful.
When mundane politicians were craftily drowning Chief Akpabio with their selfish, hypocritical congratulations, even with the glaring lapses and failures in the Akwa Ibom landscape, only the “Total Chair”, as Arch. Toyo is fondly called, had the sincerity to impress upon the governor that the masses of the state were wallowing in hunger, in the midst of plenty.
The profound, productive impact these “sincere words of advice” had on Chief Akpabio and his administration can still be attested to till date, as the state government then moved to expand and reinvigorate the Integrated Farmers Scheme (IFS), gave added momentum to the Inter-ministerial Direct Labour Projects, amongst other strategic measures, to enhance the financial and economic status of the people. Such is the value and benefit of leadership integrity to the society, hence Otu Ita Toyo, the leader we should consciously appreciate.
In this dispensation, history and experience should teach us that to propel this state to new heights of embracing development, peace and productive change, we do not need “politicians”. We need men of proven commitment to truth, sincerity and public good. Men like Otu Ita Toyo. Men whose utterances and activities have repositioned them beyond parochial political party lines as uncommon statesmen, with the inner strength and capacity to lead Akwa Ibom State and her people productively. Such peculiar statesmanship capacities are naturally channeled to such men (like Otu Toyo) due to their intrinsic willingness and capacity to see, accept and do the truth. For enduring solutions, change and breakthrough can only be built on the foundation of “truth”. All other things created on sham propaganda, selfish party or political basis, lacking in truth, will sooner or later crumble. It must be so in line with divine laws.
It must be restated that such capacity to see and act according to the truth constitutes a scarce human attribute in this present era; which is why we witnessed that not many of our self-acclaimed “politicians and leaders” were able to do what Toyo did. They prefer to be publicly seen exhibiting selfish, hypocritical “loyalty” to a stinking, corrupt and failing system, than to sincerely point out a problem for correction and remedy. They prefer to be seen masterminding orchestrated fanfare that “Akwa Ibom Ado Ok” (Akwa Ibom is okay), than to foster or contribute to rewarding change.
Our churches, NGO’s media houses, corporate organizations, and others should therefore seek, find and honour men like Arch. Otu Ita Toyo with Excellence Awards, for standing by the truth when other people could not. As a frontline political figure, he should be honoured for rising above party and politics to protect and seek the interest of the masses, when other “lesser politicians” were busy playing their usual kind of “unproductive politics”. This step will at the same time serve as an opportunity and privilege for these churches, NGO’s, media houses, and corporate organizations to chart a new course, away from their usual and shameful tradition of honouring thief’s, fraudsters and professional thugs, due to monetary inducements.
In a dispensation where hypocritical sycophancy is propelled to alarming, detrimental heights, whereby Akwa Ibom people who dare to tell the truth are persecuted, it becomes generally risky to thread in the path of honesty, where only few are now found.
Arch. Otu Ita Toyo’s utterances, activities, dispositions and positions on state matters have distinguished him as a man from a good home, with credible background, strategically positioned to lift Akwa Ibom State from the slums of deceit, hypocrisy, greed, selfish politics and associated predicaments which currently prevent us from sustainably advancing. He should therefore be given the embracing backing, support and good-will to lead further, so as to enact his promising imprints on the sands of our state life.
This call is not based on ethnicity, party, zoning, or other artificial grotesque contraptions. But rather, it is based on competence and merit. For trustworthiness, integrity and sincerity, as embodied in Arch. Otu Ita Toyo, are the hallmarks for service-driven leadership; whereas, any self-acclaimed leader who lacks the emphatic capacity to consciously acknowledge and act upon the truth and reality, as they affect his subjects, also lacks the basic ingredients for good, responsive leadership.
Otu Ita Toyo as former Akwa Ibom State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is known to have brought various positive and rewarding impacts to bear on our state polity. But these are subjects for another day. For now, let us all learn to see through the window of truth, honesty and sincerity which he has carved for the betterment of our state and people. For this is the window to all other good things.
This piece was intentionally scheduled for December, being a month of celebrations, as a clarion call for all and sundry to celebrate this leading light, Arch. Otu Ita Toyo, one of our best brains, an epitome of sincere exemplary leadership, who holds extensive potentials for the repositioning and advancement of our state, Akwa Ibom.
Alison Peters writes in from Ini L.G.A. (8065080953, 07082840211)
No comments:
Post a Comment