By Efio-Ita Nyok |21 April 2015| 5:49am
Calabar is the state capital of Cross River, one of Nigeria's South-Southern states. Its incumbent governor is the tall, slim-frame & bleary-eye, 51-years old Senator Liyel Imoke.
Calabar, which was once the tourism hub of Nigeria and tipped to being a business hub in West Africa and Africa as a whole, occupies a proud place in the history of Nigeria.
Calabar is home to three indigenous so-called ethnic minorities in Nigeria, namely -the Efik, Qua, and Efut. Among this trio the Efik are more prominent such that we are wont to say the Efik of Calabar. The same narrative goes for the apex royal hierarchy among the Efik which is named as the Obong of Calabar; as opposed to such tags as the Ndidem of the Quas or the Muri Munene of the Efut which respectively constitute the peak of traditional leadership among the Qua and Efuts.
The Efik of Calabar are reputed for, among other virtues, having a sense for such aesthetic values like beauty, cleanliness, and hospitality.
Owing to the relative advantage of dominance which they enjoy over other tribes, it goes to say without gainsaying the fact that, the state capital has been reputed to epitomise these aesthetic values so much so that Calabar is known nationwide to be 'clean, green and serene'. In fact, until recently, when you mentioned Calabar, you in other words refer to Nigeria's most cleanest and peaceful state capital.
During the 2015 general elections it was reported in the national dailies that the state recorded no election violence despite deep provocations to the contrary. This is the type of state capital Governor Liyel Imoke inherited from his predecessor Mr. Donald Duke. But alas, the type of state capital Liyel Imoke will be bequeathing to the Governor-elect Benedict Ayade in a couple of weeks is a profoundly different and deeply compromised Calabar.
Calabar, Cross River state capital under the inefficient, inept and direction-less administration of governor Liyel Imoke has evolved into a metropolitan cocoon of uncleanliness, ugliness and violence. Under your watch your Excellency, we have overflowing dirt bins characterising designated corners of the state capital. And for your information, they exude inexplicable stench. We have had an unprecedented scale of violence occasioned by street urchins referred to as Scolombo, Lacasera, etc. The latter have even been rightfully tagged 'ndito Imoke', that is, Imoke's children.
Today, Calabar is as dirty as possible. It harbour armed robbers of varying degrees and orientation. It is no longer the beautiful hostess of the world. On social media this 'change' has incited numerous reactions. The citizenry are suffocating under the stench and misery that ensues.
Your Excellency, Cross Riverians request that you awake from your slumber and attend to the needful. Arise like you once did during the PDP state primaries of December 2014 and the just concluded general elections of 2015. If I recall, in the general elections in the state your singular vote counted against the near one million votes of the electorate. You were one man called men. Repeat a similar feat your Excellency and save your family's name from shame!
Awake! Thou slumbering Excellency. Awake!
