Edward Ntebri Egbelo|3 April 2016|6:45am
Since the inception of her creation as a state, Cross River State has always had it tough when as regards building characters that will ultimately become national voices, but as we got use to our independence, we gradually saw the importance of having reputable individuals that will represent the state at national and international functions.
Prior to the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War, the South-Eastern State had the likes of Mr. N. U. Akpan, Ekukinam Bassey, Chief Margaret Ekpo (all from south/eastern state then) who played active roles in the Consultative Assembly of Colonel Ojukwu then. Notable among this few was Chief Margaret Ekpo, who wasn't just a politician, but a centenary and furnished leader. It is eminent to note that Chief Margaret Ekpo wasn’t just any national figure, but a figure that represented not just her regional zone, but the entire Biafra Nation in notable national and international events then.
When the quest came for the struggle for the sovereign state of Biafra then, the singular aim was to achieve this objective. Tribal sentiments were far from been issues for this struggle, as everybody was willing to sacrifice in any capacity to achieve the purpose then.
After the Civil War, some ethnic nationalities still maintained and serviced their national structures and this fostered numerous developments in their respective regions/states. As we got inured to our independence, some ethnic conclaves strove hard to conserve/maintain their national seats in the federal hall of fame. But gradually Cross River State lost her national relevance and the state abruptly started losing not just her national importance but also her collective patrimonial heritage.
Firstly it started with the loss of imperative positions in the federal settings, then to the lost of the peninsula and also the lost of oil wells that stole the prestigious treasure and pride of state. But what was the role of some of our so-called federal characters in all of this cases of intimidation and subordination?
Well some of them might claim they have been playing active roles since inception and now still belligerent to regain all of this lost glories. But it is not the matter of how much, but how well. Societal sacrifice comes from individuals with open and nonpartisan minds. This lawyers may be claiming they worked so hard, but nobody consolidated their hardwork with structural support. But on which grounds where this sacrifices made? Political grounds or for the benefit of their state? I can vividly remember the number of so-called legal luminaries we had then in the state, ranging from senior advocates to senior lawyers. Well I remember a few of them ranting over traditional media channels, claiming to be true Cross Riverians fighting for justice on behalf of the state, but how well so far?
I can vividly recall that a state delegation as lead by a one-time Senate Leader, visited President Muhammadu Buhari on the grounds of trying to beseech his support in reclaiming the 76 oil wells from Akwa Ibom State. But which tangible result has this bore this far?
Well let’s have a hallucination on how Cross River State lost this oil wells and Bakassi Peninsula. The conclusion is simple, we had watered-mouthed national politicians, who were interested in making television sound-bites but on the other way round were fighting to fill their personal treasuries. With all due respect to the President, he promised the Government and people of Cross River State her lost nature-given lands, but no attention has been given to this issue so far, rather the likes of Borno State have been getting numerous blessings from his administration (the search for crude oil in the chad basin).
What if the President decides not to assist Cross River State, what happens? Who speaks for the state? Must it be just the Governor of the state? We don’t have a national voice, we only have proud political devastators and greedy godfathers at the national level. Even Benue State have the likes of Paul Unongu, a man who can never betray the state just to gain cheap political relevance. We have to step up and realize that we have just one Cross River State. In Western Nigeria, in Lagos precisely, some communities have been having communal clashes with their neighbouring Cameroonian counterparts but the Federal Government have continuously protected them and their lands in times of this clashes. In the North East, the likes of Mubi have been having same communal issues with same Cameroon, but the Federal Government just wouldn’t release the pressured border landscapes. Why is the case of Cross River State always different, the Federal Government offered Bakassi to the Cameroon Government in a platter of gold, and yet we still have wailers, disturbing the free-flow of governance.
Have we ever asked ourselves why the north always stand on same grounds when it comes to national elective positions? They consider societal benefits more important than personal enrichment. The aim is always to achieve same objective. The South East always know how to support the "One Indi-Igbo" campaign, they might be divided political, but they always know how to support the development of the zone. We are unfortunate to come from a region where there are so much ethnic diversities, but we can form a strong wall by uniting and supporting those we deem fit to be our national voices. We must stop deceiving ourselves and support the state government, whether PDP or APC. We claim to have a one time attorney general of the federation and yet we loss court cases like late night sleeps.
Yes! we lost Bakassi and our oil wells when we had ranking senators and it is so shameful for us as a state. May be because these senators had no national support, but the entire story is a sad one.
We dearly need a National Voice, anybody can be that National Voice, but we need people who can set aside party differences and face the challenge at hand. It must not always be the governor that has the state at heart when it comes to national and international events/gatherings, it must not always be our senators, it must not always be our Honourable Members in the House of Representatives, it must be a collective effort to ensure that we restore the greatness of Cross River State. Cross Riverians in Abuja must stop thwarting the efforts of the current administration and learn how to be statesmen that want to contribute immensely to the state's development.
Long live Cross River State.
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Edward Ntebri Egbelo
Writes from Calabar
