By Solomon Asha
It is becoming clear to Cross Riverians and other Nigerians every passing day why all elements combined to ensure that the young intelligent but humble man from the hills of Obudu in the northern part of Cross River State emerged as the Governor of the state.
About 68 days from his formal inauguration as governor, Governor Ayade’s pronouncements and policy direction has left all sincere Cross Riverians without doubt that he was prepared divinely, intellectually and academically for the future responsibilities that he was to assume to liberate Cross Riverians from the shackles of poverty, economic backwardness and the so-called educationally disadvantaged state toga in the country.
Having been adequately prepared, Ayade is ravaging and crisscrossing the entire globe to effectively build economic ties that will amazingly transform the entire state. Ayade is ready to unleash the tiger of prosperity on the once obscured and neglected Cross River state to a point that many will agree with the biblical statement that the stone (Cross River State) that was rejected has become the chief corner stone (the centre of economic hub and prosperity.)
Truly, nobody will expect less (except the irredeemably and chronic critics) from Ayade, a man who had the best Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) thesis, won multi-million Japanese Yen in his Post-Doctorate Research, and then went ahead to undertake the first ground water remediation for the Oil and Gas industry .
It will equally please Cross Riverians and other Nigerians to know that Benedict Benyaushuye Ayade has gone down in the history of Nigeria as the Senator who only did one term but sponsored the highest number of bills in the history of the Nigerian Senate.
At this moment, even the most unreasonable critic would agree that everything is lucidly tilting towards the reality that Governor Ayade came into power with a very clear vision on how the state can be developed in all ramifications, as the governor has never spared anytime but is busy putting in place the framework for the economic, social, political and industrial emancipation of Cross River State.
Everything that this humble, intelligent man with a good heart from Obudu has put his hands to has worked for him; in fact, his good heart works for him because God sees the heart of every man, and He is aware that he created Ayade and gave him enough of what is good, just and virtuous.
Again, his generosity, humble background and great intellectual acumen are being effectively harvested by God for the good of Cross River State.
68 days after his assumption of office, it is becoming so clear that Ayade has prepared fertile grounds, and it is time for agenda setting for the development of the state. “I have not being to the north (northern Cross River) because for me it is time for agenda setting. Charity to me ends at home, it does not begin at home”, Ayade asserted recently.
Only chronic skeptics will go ahead to doubt the sincerity and the competency of the Obudu-born number one citizen of Cross River State with very clear-cut policy direction being initiated by his administration.
How on earth would anybody still doubt Ayade when work is seriously ongoing in the garment factory, openings for recruitment of tailors, Green Police are ongoing, when the criminal activities in the state have reduced to the barest minimum through Ayade’s policy direction, when he is working assiduously to offset arrears owed all categories of workers in the state, when a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the building of a refinery in the state has been concluded with the investors, and when presently the Governor is in Ireland shopping for reputable foreign investors to add to the list of those who have already indicated strong commitment to invest in the state, among others.
Governor Benedict Benyaushuye Ayade is one of the governors to watch in this democratic dispensation because his combined qualities/virtues from his intellectual and academic preparedness, humble background, love for the ordinary man and desire to leave a remarkable impact in the history of Cross River State, clearly indicates that Ayade will certainly shock the country with monumental achievements that to the normal mind are not achievable.
My little knowledge of history right from the time of yore to our own era clearly educate me to the divine reality that great minds that have been prepared, equipped in all aspects to change their environment are equally the people to receive the greatest opposition from men of their time, but that because they have been so equipped, the combined weapons of the attackers will only help to further refined them and bring out the very best of their qualities for the good of mankind.
Ayade is committed to march on with his army to cross all obstacles that will want to prevent him from fulfilling his divine destiny for the state, he is determined to dismantle and cross such blockade courageously just the same way Caesar did when he crossed the Rubicon River, and march on to his victory and glory.
March on brother, March on the people who gave you the overwhelming mandate to lead them in this generation are all behind you to take them to the Promised Land. The overwhelming joy expressed by millions of Cross Riverians when Ayade won his case against Joe Agi (SAN) is a clear indication of the tender feelings of the people towards the governor.
Solomon Asha, is the Special Assistant to Governor Ayade on Media and Publicity