Simon Utsu|3 July 2017
I doubt if there's a southern state where the elite despise their common citizens and youth like Cross River.
A couple of days back, a Federal government adviser from my state took a scathing swipe at youths when he described them in words that could be paraphrased as lazy and unambitious. He took time to lambaste them for always aiming to work in the public sector. He also got ample support from a former state government adviser who brought out his axe and struck very hard by saying the average Cross river youth is unemployable in the public or private sector as many can't even write proposals.
I don't even know where to start from, this unwarranted attack really brought to the fore the disdain our elite have for us. About ten years ago, I was at the NNPC's HQ for an interview and I met a young Hausa Engineer who was part of the HR team. He spoke with a couple of us on the sidelines and boasted about his godfathers. He couldn't even string a complete sentence without making grammaticals but here he was in the NNPC, thanks to his godfathers.
If our (Cross River's) big men in Abuja really like us and truly have us in mind and not their pockets, I think it would be better to pump in as many Cross Riverians as possible into the public sector like sensible people from other tribes do now they've the opportunity.
The other day, I profiled a young cross Riverian in the NNPC who is really building capacity and adding value to the organisation. Ugbizi Ogar is his name —so the public sector isn't that useless and Cross Riverians aren't that valueless afterall. I can freely provide those saying we have lazy and unemployable youth with a list of 100 very qualified, smart but unemployed Cross Riverians to fill in Federal job slots. Because they're only being clever by half when they sit in Abuja and 'analyse' their people when they have the chance to help them whilst a Hausa or Yoruba man when given a similar opportunity won't waste time in fixing his people up without doing any unnecessary 'analysis'.
I also think it's very unfair for someone to be using "proposal writing expertise" as an employability criteria —if you ask me, this is called 'shifting the goalpost' and is their way of excusing themselves from unwritten responsibilities as public servants. For instance, as a trainee or even Lead Engineer working in the private sector or prospecting for a public sector job, I don't primarily need to know how to write proposals to do my job or thrive in it. What I need to know or acquaint myself with (on the job and even after training) is, project plans and engineering budgets and NOT proposal writing. Proposal writing is for those who intend to become self employed.
Our Abuja big men should stop bandying excuses and serving only their interests and those of their fellow elite, they MUST serve us too —that's the main reason they're there.
I always feel very sad when I learn about or see what young Cross Riverians are going through in Abuja. When I was in Abuja some five years ago to hustle recommendation letters from our representatives and senators, I was nearly thrown off balance when I visited the office of Representative Bassey Ewa who was then the House Committee Chairman on Gas Resources —a plush position by all standards. What I saw in his office was appalling, whilst he looked like a well groomed and chubby poultry poulet, his staffers wore haggard cloths and bitter looks, I went to look for help from them but I ended up wanting to help them. Even in this dispensation, you have legislative aides of a Senator from Northern Cross River living in Mpape. Those who know Mpape will know that it's the Orile abi Ajegunle of Abuja. Why should a Senator even allow his/her aide to be living in a slum???
Sometimes, I feel it's a problem with those of us from central and northern Cross River. Because I understand Prince Otu(former Senator) is such a nice man and used his office as a Senator to fix as many Cross Riverians as possible up. Likewise Ita Ekpeyong who was DSS DG for five years under Goodluck Jonathan. I've also heard Oyo-Ita, current Head of the Federal civil service is a nice lady who's always willing to help. All these people I've mentioned are Efik people from the southern senatorial district. But those from the central or north would rather you grovel to them and worship them like demigods all the time, for where! Worship who? Holy ghost fire burn all ye wannabe gods!
Simon Utsu
Is a Social Commentator
