B๐ฆ Anietie Usen
It was a presidential go to that defied conventions and broke all out there data.
The actuality that the highest three Nigerian leaders: President Bola Tinubu and his spouse, Oluremi; Vice President Kashim Shettima and his spouse, Hajiya Nana, together with Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his spouse, Unoma, along with 71 Senators, have been all on the identical spot, on the identical time, in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State, on a working go to, has no parallel wherever in Nigeria.
To crown all of it, the truth that President Tinubu stayed the night time in Akwa Ibom State, along with his spouse and high federal officers, spoke volumes, not simply in regards to the success of the working go to, however the confidence the President has reposed in Governor Umo Eno and Akwa Ibom State.
What was much more hanging and troublesome to disregard was that since he grew to become the President about 4 years in the past, the No.1 citizen of Nigeria had not spent an evening in any of the 36 States of Nigeria, besides his political base of Lagos State. Not even his house State of Osun has loved the privilege of internet hosting the President in a single day.
โThis is a homecoming for me. I labored right here in Akwa Ibom as an auditor in Mobilโฆand I really like you with my entire coronary heart โ, the President mentioned, because the mammoth crowd responded with a deafening ovation.
With a palpable sense of nostalgia, he went forward to handle the subject material of the day: โI am happy to inaugurate the airport named after my colleague (Obong Victor Attah) who had served this State very well as a governor. This is the fulfilment of a vision: from vision to realityโ. The applause this time was not only for the President alone however for the succession of Akwa Ibom high quality governors particularly Attah; Godswill Akpabio, Udom Emmanuel and of course, Umo Eno, the person with a finisherโs anointing.
But past the applause for the President and a era of purposeful Governos within the State; past the boldness President Tinubu has in each Governor Eno and Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President; and past the truth that President Tinubu had earlier in his profession within the Nineteen Eighties labored in Akwa Ibomโs Qua Iboe Terminal of Mobil, there’s additionally a distinguishing characteristic of Akwa Ibom that might have persuaded the President to interrupt along with his custom and keep the night time within the freshly minted ARISE PALM RESORT constructed by Governor Eno.
That distinctive promoting level of Akwa Ibom is security. The State is assessed as a low threat surroundings on nationwide safety and threat indices, rating among the many most secure States in Nigeria.
Data from the ๐ก๐ถ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฅ๐ถ๐๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐บ present that Akwa Ibom holds a low threat rating of 0.35%, and is positioned on the lowest finish of the chance spectrum, in comparison with states with larger battle exercise.
๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐, an impartial safety evaluation and incident monitoring platform, says underneath its ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ก๐๐ฉ๐ & ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฟ๐๐ฉ๐ that Akwa Ibom is ranked 37 out of 37 nationally by reported fatalities. This means Akwa Ibom has the bottom recorded of fatality charge in Nigeria.
To make the State even safer and safer, the listing of initiatives listed for commissioning by the President, throughout the working go to, November 6, 2026, included the State Command and Security Control Centre, a serious funding within the Stateโs safety structure by Governor Eno.
โThe facility is designed to provide a central platform for security coordination, intelligence gathering, information sharing and emergency responseโ, Governor Eno mentioned.
Koko Essien, a retired Army General who’s the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Internal Security and Waterways, advised journalists at a latest media parley that โby improving communications and collaboration among security agencies, the Command Centre is strengthening intelligence-led policing and the Stateโs capacity to respond to security threatsโ.
The excellent safety and security credentials of Akwa Ibom State, particularly underneath Governor Eno, has additionally augured effectively for overseas investments and tourism which has been flowing into the State, notably within the final three years of Umo Eno Administration.
Tourism is definitely the centrepiece of the Umo Eno Administration. His investments on this sector is pursued as a serious cross-cutting pillar of the ARISE Agenda, which integrates tourism improvement throughout a number of financial and infrastructure areas.
Under ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, Governor Eno is upgrading and increasing belongings such because the Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Four Points by Sheraton and ongoing initiatives such because the 250-bedroom Ibom International Hotel.
Under ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, Governor Eno has amazed even his critics by creating landmarks just like the mind-blowing ARISE Palm Resort (constructed on a reclaimed erosion website), the place President Tinubu, his spouse and high federal officers spent their night time.
Under ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, Governor Eno is enhancing air and floor journey connectivity by way of Ibom Air, increasing the worldwide airport, and modernizing State transport with a fleet of 50 CNG passenger buses and the constructing Ibom City Bus Terminal.
In the world of ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ, he’s constructing an audacious Ibom Medical City to raise healthcare infrastructure and draw medical guests.
Under ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐, ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐, the Governor is revamping websites just like the Ibom Unity Museum, the State Center for Arts and Culture, native seashore markets and selling native cuisines and traditions.
And within the ๐๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐จ-๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ sectors, the a number of award profitable Governor is creating initiatives just like the Ibom Model Farm, a 50-hectare built-in agricultural and financial venture situated in Ikot Edibon.
Modelled after the Songhai Farm framework and pushed by the Akwa Ibom State University, AKSU, with aim of spearheading agricultural training, pupil coaching, analysis, and agro-tourism, it options zero-waste built-in farming, crop cultivation, livestock housing, fish ponds, and bio-processing/bio-energy programs.
None of these accomplishments escaped the eye of President Tinubu. โPastor Eno, you are a great man of conscience, commitment and visionโฆThese projects speak well of continuity and the benefits of having a great successorโ, the president mentioned after commissioning the world-class Victor Attah International Airport.
According to the President: โWhen you (Governor Eno) requested my approval for an international status for the airport, I did not hesitate to give the consent because you are a man of visionโ.
One good job, they are saying, deserves one other. With the great account Governor Eno gave of himself and his Administration, the President didn’t hesitate to grant the singular request Governor Eno made.
After thanking the President for all the great issues he had completed for Akwa Ibom State, together with the approval for the Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, and the Federal University of Agriculture, Obio Akpa, the worldwide standing for the Victor Attah International Airport, and the inclusion of Akwa Ibom State within the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Governor dropped the singular request, a difficulty very expensive to the hearts of Akwa Ibom individuals.
โGive us Ibom Deep SeaportโฆThis deep seaport is capable of unlocking the economy of the State, the South-South region and Nigeria at largeโ, Governor Eno mentioned to the ovation of the jam-packed Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
Soon, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio threw his weight behind the request by Governor Eno. He known as on President Tinubu to offer the mandatory coverage and funding for the event of the Ibom Deep Seaport, saying the venture holds monumental potential for job creation and the financial transformation of Akwa Ibom and certainly Nigeria. โOn Ibom Deep Seaport, we standโ, Senator Akpabio mentioned.
It was clear to the President that Governor Eno and Senator Akpabio have been talking the minds and deep yearnings of Akwa Ibom individuals. And when it was his flip to talk, the President didn’t disappoint the hospitable individuals of Akwa Ibom State.
โIt is approved. It is approved. Development must be even, inclusive and reasonableโฆ It must bring progress and create economic value. I heard โ the justification from your Governor, who is my friend and my pastor, speaking on behalf of the leadership and people of Akwa Ibom State on the Deep Seaport project. Ibom Deep Seaport will bring associated economic value and economic developmentโฆ It is approvedโ, the President mentioned.
Apart from the endorsement of the Seaport which was initiated in 1999 by the Obong Victor Attah Administration, the truth that the President stayed the night time within the ARISE PALM RESORT conferred on the State an enviable standing of a vacationers vacation spot of selection in Nigeria.
Said Professor Udeme Udofia of the University of Calabar: โYou cannot measure the benefits of that presidential gesture in Naira and kobo alone. Yes, you cannot rule out the financial impacts on the resortโs balance sheet. But that particular presidential suite, where President Tinubu and his wife slept, should become a tourist trap of sort, where visitors would like to see and pose for picturesโ.
โIf the President of Nigeria would find the resort good and secure enough to accommodate him and his wife, who would not find his way to the serene and clean capital of Akwa Ibom for holiday and leisureโ, Akpan Micah, a former member of the House of Reps mentioned.
For Dr. Sylvia Ekong, an indigene of Uyo municipality, and former Vice Chairman of Uyo LGA, who was acquainted with the advancing and abandoned erosion website, the braveness of Governor Eno to overcome and subdue the menace of the devastated panorama and flip it to a veritable paradise, showcases him nationally as a mannequin chief.
โOur Governor is exceptionally good and brave in tackling prolonged problems that appear intractable. I can count many such problems including abandoned projects and the backlog of gratuities for the sick and aged civil servants. This Governor will always be remembered for goodโ, she mentioned.
*Anietie Usen writes from Uyo
