15 September 2016
I wish to firstly, congratulate you on your election into Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, as a member, representing the good people of Ikot Abasi and Eastern Obolo state constituencies respectively, congratulation once again. This open letter is not in any way, intended to bring disrepute to your person, office, and/or the Honourable members of AKSHA by extension. The need for this open letter is borne out of my enthusiasm to see you succeed; also, out of my love for our people, and my continued cry for good and effective representation, as this is the only avenue through which I can reach you.
At exactly 6:05PM, local time, on Tuesday 13th September, 2016, you posted a picture of your humble self, with some members of your primary constituency, your village, if I'm not mistaken, with such words as: "home with my people. My die hard supporters. Taking governance to the grassroot.., the real owners of government.." The picture, shows a crate of beer, which I cannot really decipher the brand, and some of the said constituents carrying a bottle each. Sir, without any malicious intention, you can think, as you are already, that the people of your constituency are happy with you. But, I disagree with you, even though it is personal, but, I bet you, if you clandestinely conduct research, you will discover that the same people who rain praises on you, are not happy with you. Shakespeare once said "there is no art to find the mind's construction of the face", this theory, over the years has proven to be true.
Yes, the people are not happy with you, if the people from your primary constituency, being your village are happy with you, which I still doubt, the rest of the people, I think, are not happy with you. This is because, no sane individual would be happy to drink alcohol with an empty stomach. Mr. Honourable, the current economic indices shows that there is hunger in the land, and the last time I checked, alcohol can never be substituted for food. I am not outrightly, condemning your gesture and act of simplicity, which is required of a public servant of your ranking, neither am I attacking your person, nor office, but the point I am trying to establish is that, in times of economic downturn like this, it does not call for merriments, but rather, it calls for sober reflection, and putting heads together to chart a course out of the present predicament. The people of your constituency are hungry, and dying in penury. If you take a keen look at the faces on that photograph, you can possibly and easily see that hunger and 'indigency', is written on some of their faces, but, they had to force smiles, to have a good wear on their faces, and keep the hope.
The current situation faced by Nigerians, which your constituents are parts, requires that government and well meaning individuals, puts up skills acquisition projects, that can help the youth, and middle-aged people to be financially independent, and also, key into the opportunity provided by recession, to boost local food production through farming. Sir, it may interest you to know that, in your constituency, which is also mine, a cup of Garri is now sold at 80 Naira, while Rice, is sold at 160 Naira per cup, likewise all other consumable commodities, due to hyper-inflation we are currently facing in our country, due to the insensitivity of previous governments for the past sixteen years.
Over one year in office, as a State House Member, one your first considered official, though, unofficial, public appearance like this, which you had to make it public on social media platform, I expected to hear, and see that you inaugurated a skill acquisition center, or that you have initiated an agricultural loan scheme, to help boost local food production, to help alleviate the poverty and hunger in the land, which can also help to create employment and take the youth off the street. It is rather disheartening, that you could instead, chose to drink beer, which will last for a while, with your constituents, and fan yourself with handkerchief, to have done so much by taking governance to the grass-root. Governance, and effective representation, is much more than merry making; the people cannot continue to force smile, just to keep the faith; even the Holy Writ of Christians says "faith without work is dead." You have to take representation higher from merry-making, to something tangible, such as giving out incentives to boost Small and Medium Scale Enterprises(SMEs). The people cannot continue to wear a smiling face, for a while, but, they need to wear a smiling face forever, through your good representation.
There are many road side welders, who need to expand their business; so many small scale farmers who wish to transit to large scale farming, but are constrained by fund. There are those who are willing to go into farming, to earn a living, and add to our little food production capacity, but are limited by fund. There are some who even have, a little ration of what it requires, but, they lack the knowledge, and the technical know-how to do so; which symposium, seminars, etc, can be organized, and they can simply tap from there. Adolf Hitler once said "at all times, the surest foundation for the existence of a folk has been its own soil." My humble suggestion then is, if truly, power belongs to the proletariat, then you must look beyond the confines of giving your people fish, and rather teach them how to fish, so they can always remember you and rain praises on you forever. If my writing has in any way offended you, be kind enough to discard it, and still take me as your faithful constituent. Thanks! I still remain your loyal, faithful, sincere, unrepentant critic from your constituency.
Comr. Edu Etukakpan
Media Consultant/Socio-Political Affairs Commentator
(eduetukakpan@yahoo.com)
Writing from Edemaya
