Efio-Ita Nyok|22 October 2015|6:05am
Monday, 20 October 2015 will go down well in the annals of Cross River and the administration of the democratically elected governor of Cross River State, Professor Benedict Ayade as a day to always be remembered, whether for good or bad; because on this auspicious day, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, performed the groundbreaking for one of Gov. Ayade's pet projects -the 260km Super Highway anticipated to begin from Calabar to Obudu.
If we recall, the ceremony was billed earlier on by the governor but the President declined the invitation on the premise of the advice from the Ministry of Environment which suggested that Ayade's pet project was devoid of a requisite Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), amongst other valid concerns. This significant declination by the president was perceived to be the climax of the activities of the critics of the incumbent governor of Cross River, notable among which are Okoi Obono-Obla, Ifere Paul, Joseph Odok, and the list continues.
For instance, Obono-Obla had criticised the governor for failing to capture the 260km six lanes Super Highway in his budget. The question then posed to the governor by Obono-Obla was, who is funding this project -Cross River State Government (CRSG) or Mr. Benedict Ayade? Was it a state project or private project? This criticism led to the capturing of the project in a budget. Ifere Paul an environmental activist raised similar concerns much earlier on when he identified cracks in the formulation of the projects. He published them but the governor paid deaf ears, but rather employed attack dogs in his media aides, not until Mr. President asked him to listen to Paul: that was the climax!
But the funny thing is that Ayade has never aloud reason to prevail before concession to his critics. He only concedes through force. Logicians would label him a defaulter in the strand of fallacy called 'Argumentum Ad Bacculum', that is, an 'appeal to force'. It has even been rumoured that Ayade deliberately and personally frustrated the ministerial nomination of his foremost critic, Obono-Obla on the faulty perception of the former's radicalism! He is alleged to have suggested to the president that Obla was too radical to be a minister of the Federal Government of Nigeria. However, on Monday 20 October, Obla was perceived to be taking a U-turn on his opposition to the governor when he openly applauded the ingenuity of Ayade's pet projects especially the Super highway. This has generated quite some row in the polity of Cross River considering the previous stand of Obla. Even the mainstream media is seen to be popularising this eventual U-turn of a critic. But there is something they failed to capture in the turn. This incited my article.
Not only has Okoi Obono-Obla effected a u-turn in his support for Gov. Ben Ayade's Super Highway, he has pledge his inclination for consistent criticism of Ayade's policy should the need arise. This he did by 7:36am on 21 October 2015, on his Facebook timeline. In his exact words he submitted thus:
'I love the enthusiasm of Governor Ayade, I like his vision but that does not mean I will not criticise him or his government whenever occasion demand. No hard feelings absolutely! Criticism is not hatred. If you do not like a person, you will not criticise such a person'. That to my mind is the boiling point in the nature of Obla's support for Ayade and Ayade's administration. Opposition to Obla should not think he criticises Ayade out of hatred. He has just said he loves him, his enthusiasm and pet project.
To love an individual is not to fail to draw his/her attention to his or her failings or weaknesses. His Excellency the governor should be aware that praise singing does not tantamount to love or support; it should be insisted that the true supporters of Gov. Ben Ayade are found in his critics and opposition not the inefficient and unschooled media aides, party faithfuls or family/clan members.
Criticism, whether destructive or otherwise, is a demonstration of unalloyed love.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Philosopher with bias in sociopolitical realities
