30 July 2019
Suspectedly the Green Carnival initiative of His Excellency the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Prof. Benedict Ayade has Monday being described as 'their macabre dance of shame' NEGROIDHAVEN can say authoritatively.
A nitezen on Cross River cyberspace identified as Bassey Ekpo Bassey expressed this sentiment through an untitled poem published on his social media account at exactly 2: 45PM yesterday.
A careful look at what may be referred to as the timely poem and the highlights of the array of infrastructural decay which the piece referred to compels the strong conviction that Bassey was referring to contemporary Cross River State and Cross River State Government.
Insecurity, unpaid workers salaries, poor education, deplorable infrastructure, dilapidated health sector, abandoned sports sector, visionlessness, lacklustre leadership, etc are themes in Bassey's poem. In another swipe the poem must have been referring to the three senatorial districts of the state when it observed that 'the North is a mess. The South is crumbling. Central is untouched', signifying the crass absence of government presence across the length and breath of the state.
When the poem suspectedly touches on the green carnival itself it says 'my people have embarked on a mid year
Carnival to plant trees. Yes they shall dance away their fears. And hunger. And sickness. And poverty. They shall wear gay costumes. Block the streets. Block the private sector. Shut the town down.
So they can dance. Their macabre dance of shame.'
The poem may have been pointing fingers to the Cross River State Government CRSG when it expressed itself in such profound words: 'The shame of a people Who have lost their way. Led by a man Who was lost Long before he began to lead them. So they wander Like lost sheep. Deep, deep into oblivion.'
In the early stanzas and lines of the poem the general state of affairs is rendered thus: 'There is kidnapping in the land. There is armed robbery in the land.
Morale is low. Workers have not been paid. Even the famed first day of the month payment has been revealed for what it is. The roads are craters.
Schools, dilapidated. Teachers, unpaid.
Hospitals have become morgues. The Stadium is in ruins. Projects are white and black Elephants. There is no direction. No purpose…' 'There is sickness in the land. Sickness, with not a Doctor in sight', the poem concludes.
Bassey's poem has incited numerous reactions condemning the Green Carnival. For instance, Eyo Archibong has said 'Where do you want to plant trees in calabar for Christ sake? From planting grass now is trees. Misplaced priorities. Oga pay pensioners their money ooooooooooo'. Ekwe Obongha Ibe said 'Is not about parading yourself as a professor, its about having the intrest of the society at heart that will determine how well you govern. Unfortunately we got it wrong this 8years because the governor interest is building of his personal heaven on earth. And worst of it all is that cross riverians are docile and can never ask of accountability from government, who ever does that is an enemy of the state. However I know that better days are still possible.' On her part, Vickywize Effiong observed that 'I am so scared of what will become of our state in the next four years.' Afi Nya said 'And the Town will be shut down and I'm forced to cancel a very important biz meeting for inability to access client.' Lucy Ekpenyong said 'What the hell is green carnival when every way is dirty and smelly'.
But Archibong Eyo Okon has said 'I love the green concept though….lets save our beautiful planet…' While Esijua Perpetua said 'An old saying "fight the sweet for another person hand" pls,let's try and see something good in him(Ayade) some are celebrating him while others are raining abuses on him.'
