Our Correspondent|22 January 2018
Mr Efio-Ita Nyok, publisher of NegroidHaven, a virtual news outfit with special interest in Cross River affairs, Sunday, expressed reservations against influential social commentator, international development consultant and social entrepreneur, Mr Princewill Odidi's endorsement of the dancing-in-public disposition of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade our correspondent can report.
Odidi, who yesterday okayed the dancing of Ayade on the premise of his employing the inclination to connect with the youth said, 'Ayade likes dancing! It is obvious it is his style of connecting with younger people. I endorse!'.
Odidi's endorsement incited reactions from a cross section of Cross Riverians including Nyok, former Senior Special Assistant to Ayade on National Contact Chief Ray Ugba Murphy, Hit 95.9 FM OAP and publisher of Calitown.com Iwara U. Iwara, controversial change agent Joseph Odok, social commentator Prince Thomas Abi Jr., Edo Owan Esq., and a host of others.
Nyok, in a thread titled, 'My Reservation to Princewill Odidi's Endorsement of a Dancing Governor Ayade Benedict —by Efio-Ita Nyok', said that youths of Cross River indigenisation and residency are looking for a Governor they can dance with, not a state CEO that dances all by himself. In his over ten paragraphed-thread, he outlined areas the governor has failed Cross River youths and thus should not be seen to be dancing to connect with them. According to Nyok,
'I refuse to 'endorse' Ayade because : Cross River youths are not necessarily looking for a 'dancing Governor', neither are we also looking for a state CEO that is more serious than Adolf Hitler. On the contrary, if I must speak for Nigerian youths of Cross River indigenisation and residency, we are rather looking for a dancing Governor who dances not to 'connect with the youthful citizenry of his state' but rather allow these youths to dance towards him in acknowledgement of the improvements in the quality of development in the areas of education, infrastructural development, security, health, agriculture, entrepreneurship, civil service, pension, gratuity, investments, debt management etc as a result of the deliberate policies he evolved in these areas for two years now and counting.
'Since pictures of the dancing Ayade started emerging since May 29, 2015 how many of such pictures have evolved about youths in Cross River State? : for your information, Ayade is dancing before a set of disillusioned, disoriented, disappointed and dented, etc youths. Ayade is dancing all by HIMSELF, he's not dancing with US : sincerely, we want to dance to him too in synch', Nyok continued.
However, when queried on his endorsement of Ayade's dancing inclination, Odidi countered noting that it's not a blanket endorsement of the entire administration. For instance, Iwara observed : 'I am yet to come to terms with Princewill Odidi and this endorsement. Is it wrapped in a Pandora's box?', as Murphy who said : 'My brother Princewill Odidi is very right to endorse a government of his choice. This is a democracy, but to claim to hinge that endorsement on any parameter other that sentiment is a disservice to truth and the many people who take Mr Princewill's essays and opinion seriously'. Owan on his part noted, 'This is not Princewill Odidi talking or him don follow catch the appointment bug?' while Odok submitted, 'Efio-Ita Nyok, you are always at your best. Princewill Odidi has been part of all the administration that have brought CRS to it's knees. He talks his interest and I long know that'. Replying, Odidi informed, 'That I endorse AYADE’s engagement with youthful population as seen in his dance, should not be construed with a blanket performance endorsement. But even if I have to evaluate him on a general endorsement, I don’t think I will write Ayade off as a failure, no he hasn’t, he may not have met general expectations, but he is putting in his best. Governance I think is a learning process.', to which one Ogar Solomon Oko said, 'When Princewill Odidi writes against Ayade Benedict, most of us are happy and silent. But now that he has stated his opinion on endorsement which is not even blanket, we are attempting to tear him apart'.
Like Odidi, do you endorse Gov Ayade's dancing-in-public disposition?
Full text of Nyok's thread :
Influential social commentator, international development consultant and social entrepreneur, Dr. #PrincewillOdidi has endorsed the dancing disposition of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade, hinging that decision on his perception that, that's how the governor connects with youths. I have expressed my reservation against his endorsement. See my argument.
While I must observe that the Governor Benedict Ayade is quite a jovial individual who likes the bright side of life and vents that through dancing, this is commendable irrespective of my reservation —Besides, I barely commend the governor. However, the fact still remains that an endorsement of this popular character of His Excellency by anyone particularly submitting a reason like Odidi's will incite reaction. This is my response.
Respectfully sir (Odidi), I refuse to 'endorse' Ayade because : Cross River youths are not necessarily looking for a 'dancing Governor', neither are we also looking for a state CEO that is more serious than Adolf Hitler. On the contrary, if I must speak for Nigerian youths of Cross River indigenisation and residency, we are rather looking for a dancing Governor who dances not to 'connect with the youthful citizenry of his state' but rather allow these youths to dance towards him in acknowledgement of the improvements in the quality of development in the areas of education, infrastructural development, security, health, agriculture, entrepreneurship, civil service, pension, gratuity, investments, debt management etc as a result of the deliberate policies he evolved in these areas for two years now and counting.
Since pictures of the dancing Ayade started emerging since May 29, 2015 how many of such pictures have evolved about youths in Cross River State? : for your information, Ayade is dancing before a set of disillusioned, disoriented, disappointed and dented, etc youths. Ayade is dancing all by HIMSELF, he's not dancing with US : sincerely, we want to dance to him too in synch.
Francis Etang just observed that his uncle, a retiree just died waiting for his gratuity for over four years or so and did not get it : that does not make me dance or any other reasonable youth, it makes me or them disillusioned about public officers, public service and anything related to them including a lighter thing as dancing. Again, I am aware that Prince Thomas Abi Jr. has a mother who is a retiree, she served this state meritoriously, but, as at the last check : I understood that she's yet to be paid her gratuity —she may have been paid now, but then, she may have lost hope before being paid : where's the Paris Club fund? Two tranches have been collected but yet no effect. When states collected the fund, we were not eligible : we were not owing any salaries, but, we collected it, so, why didn't the dancing Governor pay up both the retirees and local government staff? Why!? These are senior citizens, they are sickly, some hypertensive, diabetic, etc they need these cash for their medical upkeep, but, there's only a dancing CEO. Some of them can not complete the houses they started building while in the service hoping, as it is the tradition, to complete it with a portion of their gratuity and then move in waiting for the day they kick the bucket. But, they frustrated —no home, sound health, etc because… Hmmm!
Again, we have scholars —youths, who are in North America, South America, Africa and Europe, etc studying on the auspices of the Cross River State Government; I remember that they cried for a payment of their fees, they can't work over there because of their international status, but they were not addressed even until now. All we see is a dancing CEO. For instance, there's a Cross Riverian in Russia, Bright Eworo who's stranded, he's a student but is frustrated despite effort to get to the state government for help —we've a Speaker from Abi LGA, John Lebo, DG of Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Betta Edu, etc and they are yet to effect a change in his direction —I don't blame them, it's not their brief. The Commissioner for Education, Mr Goddy Ettah, is from neighbouring Yakurr LGA and hasn't been able to help —this development does not warrant a Shoki dancing state CEO.
Last year, Koko Bassey listed the near total number of roads network that are gravely dilapidated in Calabar, Cross River capital city : one of such roads is in Atamunu street. Another is in Edim Otop immediately after the market if you are coming from IBB Way. There's an uncompleted road construction at Target road, the Ministry of Works have abandoned the project, it's now a debt trap. These roads are barely motorable, and the rains are coming this year, and all we see is a state government pouring tar on already existing roads not begging for attention in Marian and IBB. Hmmm! Sir, I can go on and on.
Almost every where I now go in the state capital, immediately people identify me as the blogger @©NegroidHaven.org, they begin to complain about the deplorable condition lurking all around them —they obviously want me to be their mouthpieces to His Excellency and his government of dancers troupe. Listen to them, please.
JoEsse biological dad was murdered in cold blood at Cultural Centre and yet his alleged murderers are yet to be apprehended; Anthony Bissong Attah last year December resigned his services with the Cross River State Civil Service for the degree of corruption brewing and being brewed in College of Education Akamkpa, particularly, we have an Acting Provost who has overstated his welcome of six months in office as Acting Provost, —all we have is just a dancing Governor! If I must ask, what is the governor dancing to —the grim, long faces of the youths or the fat, round faces of politicians.
Odidi, if you said, Ayade is dancing to the excellent performances of the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Inyang Asibong and the DG of CRSPHCDA, Dr Betta Edu, not even Joseph Odok, Inyali Peter, Daniel Agbor or Ifere Paul would argue with you.
In essence, Ayade should not dance all by himself to a disillusioned youth, he should dance with a developing youth —he'd dance with me!
©Nyokism
Sundry Reactions
Prince Thomas Abi Jr :
I wouldn't love to be dragged into this discussion but I feel bad that retirees like my mother have not been paid. It is heart breaking and very disturbing. Let somebody that is reading please assist. We have tried our best but nothing yet.
Bright Eworo :
Those of you backing Ayade here meaning you don’t have the interest of your youths .. A state that having two strong 💪🏿 professors 👨🏫 has their governors nothing to show concerning education, yet people are here praising him.. so painful that we have failures as awaiting leaders.! He can still win for his second term, because that’s nigeria 🇳🇬 culture.. we respect ✊ failures because of our personal interests.
Ishaka Joe :
Princewill, let me even ask you this question, is Cross River State the only State suffering from dwindling allocation? Is Ebonyi State, our closest neighbors not even worse off than us? Do they even enjoy the occasional NDDC intervention? Yet, look at what the State has achieved with Engr Dave Omahi as Governor, within the same period under review. The Engr Dave Omahi story simply tells you that an achiever is an achiever, all the time. He doesn't unnecessary propaganda! Actions will always speak louder than words.
Please, Princewill, just take full responsibility of your endorsement. What do you mean by ' generally, Ayade has tried his best given the resources at his disposal ', if it is not a blanket endorsement? That is just being evasive and economical with words! For three solid years almost gone by, what can you point at as being Governor Ayade's tangible achievements? Not even a single project that has been pursued to a logical conclusion. Not one! And, worst still, due process has never been followed in the award of most of these staggering contracts. Most times, they are not even captured first in the State appropriation bill before the contracts are hurriedly awarded. Is that how to run an administration, with due diligent being deliberately thrown to the dogs?
Honestly speaking, Princewill, your said endorsement has fallen flat on the ground; grossly below our expectations.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor-in-Chief & Publisher of NegroidHaven
