Leadership Challenges And Oro Nation Agenda 2015

By Edet Okpo

The just concluded Oro Union Conference on theme: Leadership challenges And Mass Mobilization of Akwa Ibom State for the Actualization of Agenda 2015”, has finally deleted the negative notion already imprinted in the minds of few citizens of the state, that Oro people were no more interested, serious, ready and prepared for the much talked about 2015 governorship seat. 

The step taken by this foremost socio-cultural Organisation in Oro land was a confirmation of the saying of a renowned philosopher Francis Bacon who posited that” nobody can make you inferior without your consent”.

From factual historical records, Oron people have always occupied frontal elective and appointive positions in local, national and international politics. 

It has never been in their character to submit themselves to servitude, play second fiddle or to pick the crumbs that fall from the political dinning table of others. They are always found in the bedroom of power. 

History has it that some of their ancestors even in their ignorance and quagmire of struggle, superstition and illiteracy were able to guarantee their civic dignity and integrity. It therefore means that this generation will never condescend or accept to languish on the fringe of anybody’s grudging ambition to further marginalize and impoverish them. 

With the resolution of Oro nation in the recently concluded Oro Union conference, the era of lily-livered and beggarly politicians who are always interested in the politics of the stomach ever willing to submit themselves to servitude for filthy lucre, gone. 

To those who have allowed their selfish interest to override their sense of reasoning, by lobbying to deputize a governorship aspirant from another ethnic group , their hopes and aspirations were dashed and committed into nightmares at the end of the conference. 

From the pre-colonial era, colonial and post colonial regime, Oron people twinkled in the world stage like stars in the prestigious galaxy. 

Available record shows that in both public and private sectors, they stood tall among their contemporaries and dictated the pace for others to follow. They were torch bearers and not followers. 

The legendary exploits of people like late Chief Bassey Etienam (Namoba), chief Etim Edet, Chief Lawrence Etim, chief Esin Anwana Esin, Barr Oyokunyi Otu Ita, among others should not be forgotten in a hurry. The history of the Second Republic, for example cannot complete without mentioning the domineering role of late Senator Victor Akan of the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN). To show that a typical Oron man believes in the unity of Akwa Ibom State, Late Victor Akan, an Oron voice in the then National Assembly sited ALSCON at Ikot Abasi, instead of his own federal constituency, a decision that is very hard for some 21st century politicians. 

The aforementioned facts are enough reasons that Oro nation’s aspiration to lead the state by 2015 should never be characterized as the hope of a fool, as this may be an error the state may never redress in a hurry.

Akwa Ibom State was created on tripod arrangement: the Ibibio, Annang and Oron. The much touted senatorial district is a contradiction without any justification. 

From the regime of Chief Dr. Clement Isong, Donald Etiebet, Obong Akpan Isemin to that of Chief (Dr.) Godswill Akpabio, Oro people have always been very supportive, loyal and resolute. 

The advent of democracy in 1999 brought in Arc Obong Victor Attah as the Executive Governor, and during that time, an Oro man, late Joe Ating, the then party chairman, in collaboration with other political kingpins within Oro nation mobilized Oron people who voted massively for him. 

He served for good eight years as the executive Governor of the state. 

In 2007, when the present governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio came out for the hilltop mansion job, Oro people rallied round him and Arc Otu Ita Otoyo the then party chairman gave him the ticket. 

Moreover, the people of Oro nation have sacrificed their natural resources for the uplift of this Akwa Ibom State. Oro is the goose that lays the golden egg. Today, there is high rate of environmental degredation, but no compensation has been made. Oro people have paid their dues in the governance of this state. It is an established fact that Oro people – the third ethnic group do not see themselves as an accident of history in Akwa Ibom State Politics, but fighters who invested their blood, sweat, resources, energies and tears in the struggle for statehood. 

In the recently concluded 2011 Oro Union Conference, which attracted Chief Engr. Edet Amana, an international business mogul, Pastor Oyong Asukwo – Commissioner For Youths and Sports, his Lands and Town Planning counterpart, Dr. Bassey Antai, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, Arc Otu Ita Otoyo, council chairmen from Oro extraction, House of Assembly Members, Royal fathers, Past and present political office holders, Executive/Members of Oro Voice in the diaspora, Youths and Women groups, Oro people resolved to occupy the hilltop mansion by 2015 and solicited the support of Ibibio and Annang brothers in the actualization of their aspiration. 

Addressing the conference, the President General of Oro Union, Chief Barr O. D. Okon re-affirmed the position of Oro people in the upcoming 2015 governorship race, adding that there was no going back in the struggle for power shift.

Barr. Okon called on Oro people to embark on proper consultation with other ethnic groups and mobilized them for the actualization of 2015 governorship agenda. 

The Oro union president warned Oro sons and daughters to refrain from nursing their ambition for the deputy governorship seat, as the people of Oro nation will not fail to rise against such an individual. 

On his part, the Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Arc Otu Ita Otoyo used the conference to declare his aspiration for the 2015 governorship race. 

Arc. Otu Ita popularly known as the “Total Chair” said he has the needed experience, political and democratic credentials to contest for the hilltop mansion job and appealed to Akwa Ibom people at home and in the Diaspora to support Oro people in the 2015 governorship project. 

Arc Otoyo hinted that Oro nation is blessed with seasoned politicians and professionals who are ready to contest for the exalted elective position. 

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Pastor Oyong Asuquo promised to share in the vision and aspiration of Oro people in the 2015 governorship agenda. 

Pastor Oyong told the newsmen that as somebody in the mainstream of the present government, he was prohibited by his principal to reserve comment on the 2015 governorship project until direction is given to them by the governor.

Meanwhile, as the clamour for Eket senatorial quest and Oro nation in particular to clinch the governorship of Akwa Ibom state by 2015 continue unabated with nocturnal schemings and behind the scene of political permutations, the Oro nation monarch, His Eminence, Ahta Etim Ati Okpo V, has enjoined all the groups connected with the advocacy to sufficiently sensitize the people to be wary of their rights and obligations. 

The Ahta Oro who was speaking at his place in Editor when a socio-political organization, the Equity Group, paid him a courtesy visit recently, stressed that since an average Oron person believes that 2015 is the turn of Oro to produce the governor the issue of zoning the governorship to Eket senatorial district first before the consideration of which local government and federal constituency should get it, must be properly articulated. 

The Ahta Oro V stated that from inception, the forebearers and protagonists of Akwa Ibom State were working on the tripodal arrangement of geographical and ethnic composition of the state with Ibibio, Annang, and Oron, stressing that the sanctity of the tripodal arrangement should be sacrosanct, if equity, justice and fairplay must be maintained
Edet Okpo a public commentator writes from Uyo