 |
| L-R: Obaji Abung Akpet and Sandy Ojang Onor |
10 October 2019
It was not a rosy moment yesterday for first time senator to Cross River Central Senatorial District, Prof. Sandy Onor when Cross River born travel documentary filmmaker, Obaji Akpet took to his Facebook to narrate what he (Akpet) described as “rude” approach by the senator to the people he represents, even as the filmmaker let out heavy knocks on the senator.
From the tone of the post, apparently, Akpet had visited the senator and witnessed him being rude to a 60 year old man and some two other young men who alongside paid a visit to the senator at the National Assembly.
In his post, Akpet had written “Dear Senator Sandy Onor Ojang, the way you acted rude to that 60yr old man and yelled at those two young men in your office today made me really sad and got me thinking if another Cross River stake has been lost. You noticed I was visibly shaky, not for fright but for the fury I was trying to repress.“
“Please dear Sen Sandy Onor Ojang if representing people is not your thing kindly vacate that space … But if very humble enough to learn, then start taking private lessons from Senator John Owan.”
“Because I’m still amazed how he was able to manage that position and still had time to take calls from the people he represented. Leadership is a virtue, it is with love that I chide you. My name is Obaji Akpet, I tell our leaders where they fail,” Akpet added.
But Akpet stance has continued to be greeted by mixed feelings locally and internationally by Cross Riverians who either salute Akpet’s courage or try to defend the senator.
Yvonne Tambe, a Cross Riverian based in US said: “So proud of you for speaking up. We need more leaders who are not quiet, but are able to call this elected officials to order.“
Veteran Journalist, Emmanuel Unnah described the senator as “Always aloof n supercilious.“
On his part, Prince Awubi another Cross Riverian said “Sandy Onor is not what he portrays himself like. For those of us who served within a political system with him, we can attest to his proud, arrogant and greedy nature. Apart from being an academic, the above are his credentials. You can’t give what you don’t have!“
But some of Senator Onor’s supporters did not take Akpet’s stance with a pinch of salt as they went on criticising the journalist for openly rebuking the lawmaker, but none of them said anything to defend the his (the lawmaker) widely criticised public behaviour.
Popular among Sandy Onor’s defenders was Ntemoyok Chris who opined that the senator could only have been human in his reaction to the people he represents.
“No man is perfect, a lot of things happens for so many reasons. We shouldn’t be too quick to judge others because we don’t know what they too might be going through,” Chris said.
Adding that “Even though open rebuke is better than secret love I still will put it to you that your channel of advice is dam wrong and sentimental, sentimental in the sense that you’re comparing him with Owan Enoh which is very wrong. Owan is Owan as Sandy is Sandy.
Your opinion toward both might be a million times different from mine and others. They might be more to what caused such edgy behavior from Sandy. Constructive criticism is what we should be encouraging now.
