By: Solomon Asha/Emmanuel Ulayi
The path of destiny and leadership, as it has been known from the time of yore to our own age is normally accompanied with burden and loneliness.
Any man or woman with divine destiny to fulfill or is divinely fore-ordained to carry out certain tasks in mortality for the good of humanity, religiously and secularly is usually confronted with two-edged burden and two-edged loneliness as a leader at any capacity or level.
Every leader pregnant with divine visions and dreams or ideas that are meant to checkmate the hitherto status quo and bourgeoisie conventions/rules, though positively meant to transform the human society as a whole or in a particular sphere of influence for the good of all, is bound to be confronted with challenges and opposition from those who prefer business as usual.
First of all, the leader is aware that like a pregnant woman, he/she carries a seed, a message and an agenda of transformation which he must bring to fruition if he must have peace within himself, to free himself from that inner burden and loneliness.
Such a leader is confronted with the burden of how to reduce that burden (vision/dream, idea and thought} from the realm of abstract to concrete terms or reality and be able to pass such to those it is meant to serve their interests.
It is true that while struggling with the burden on how to reduce the dreams and visions to the level which it can be understood in the material terms by all, loneliness which only the leader alone can feel creeps in because burden is an inseparable companion of loneliness.
The other level of loneliness and burden which any leader bears arises from the point when those dreams and visions have been successfully transported into concrete reality through conscious and deliberate efforts, yet, faces unwarranted assault from some citizens because the creator of the universe has eternally ordained that every path, action and activity of man must be confronted with opposition which is a blessing in disguise.
Leaders, men and women with lofty dreams and visions such as Joseph the son of Jacob, Queen Esther, Daniel or Shadrach and his friends, Nephi in the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith the Prophet, Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela and even the Great Redeemer of the world, Jesus Christ were misrepresented by some persons in their societies. They went through the excruciating loneliness and the burden that goes with leadership and big visions.
It is therefore not a surprising issue that in spite of the mind boggling dreams and visions of the Governor of Cross River state, Senator Benedict Ayade which are meant to give the state an undisputable political and economic standing/rating in the comity of Nigerian States and the global community, could still be less appreciated by some few individuals; it is normal.
Joseph dreamed of his brothers bowing before him, and that earned him severe jealousy from his brothers leading to the conspiracy to kill him which ended in his being sold to Egypt, yet that did not stop Joseph’s dream from coming into reality as his brothers actually bowed before him when he became the Prime Minister of Egypt.
Senator Ayade’s dream and vision of signature projects (The Superhighway and the Deep Seaport) that have been reduced to concrete terms with ongoing work will certainly come to fruitful completion and commissioning just the way misrepresentation from Joseph’s brothers did not stop him from realizing his destiny and fore-ordination.
Queen Esther, an orphaned Jewish child who became a queen in the Mede-Persia empire risked her own life and went boldly before the King at a period she was not legally authorized all in an effort to save her people achieved her mission by her devotion and courage to do what was right in spite of the evil plots of Haman.
Like Queen Esther, Ayade’s boldness, courage and determination to give the state the biggest garment factory in Africa, a Rice City/China city, build 5000 houses for those without income and those with low income, among others will certainly be achieved to the glory of God and benefit of Cross Riverians.
Joseph Smith Jr., the prophet of restoration was at many occasions opposed, severally beaten, at some occasion beaten, tarred and feathered by some of those who listened to his preaching daily, and was brutally martyred alongside his brother, Hyrum Smith in Carthage, Illinois, June 27, 1844, yet the work he was divinely ordained to do has continued to move forward with millions of members globally.
Similarly, the work which Ayade has been commissioned by God to do for Cross River for the good of the people and satisfaction of He who had revealed such ideas, visions and dreams to the governor. .
As Daniel or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego carried their deepest conviction with integrity and courage and survived the evil plots against them in Babylon when they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace without being hurt, the visionary governor of Cross River state, Senator Ben Ayade will equally survive and overcome all obstacles and challenges on his path as he carries his convictions translated into the various projects to a successful and logical conclusion.
Again, just as Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed a future free America where nobody would be judged by his/her colour but the content of his/her character, and Nelson Mandela of a free South Africa came into fruition in the two societies, so will Senator Ayade‘s dream of Cross River State becoming the industrial and economic hub of Africa as well as serving as a dependable bastion of hope for Africa and the rest of the world on Climate Change.
Righteous and faithful son of Prophet Lehi in the Book of Mormon believed the visions which his father saw, stood by him against his unfaithful and stubborn brothers, suffering humiliations on several occasions from them, bearing burden and loneliness alone, but he successfully got to his for-ordained destination.
Ayade, like Nephi of old is committed to shouldering the burden of his vision and his conviction; he is committed to stand by and work for the full realization of his glorious vision for the state, the determination of his administration to task the brain rather than tax the people.
The transparent and accountable nature of the administration of Senator Ben Ayade in Cross River State has earned the state the commendation of the of the Team Leader of the Department for International Development (DFID), Dr. Jerry Lacey, who on a courtesy call on Governor Ayade to explore areas of partnership disclosed that Cross River has become a front runner state in new Nigeria DFID.
Cross Riverians should be proud of having Professor Senator Ben Ayade, a successful businessman, an Environmental Scientist of note, legislator and manager of human and material resources at the helm of affairs of the state, with an equally able lieutenant in the person of Professor Ivara Esu, an administrator par excellence, former Vice Chancellor, Minister, commissioner among others as the Deputy Governor working in unity with Ayade for the good of all.
Burden and loneliness has always constituted the lot of all great leaders and when they bear it well with calm disposition, the end product would be satisfaction of an achievement.
Jesus Christ passed through the agony of burden and loneliness where one of his Apostle betrayed him for 30 pieces of silver and another of his chief apostle out rightly denied him three times, yet he fulfilled that which he was divinely fore-ordained to achieve.
The great Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, Confucius, Buddha, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and all those great leaders earlier mentioned and many more, tested the wilderness of loneliness and the burden that goes with leadership, holding ideas which challenged the usual, the convention and the status quo but came out victors because they dreamed and stood by their dreams irrespective of the legions of skeptics that surrounded them. Ayade faces the same challenge because he ventured to dare as they dared, and he shall overcome as they did.
Governor Ayade, like any of these great men is not immune from the pains of loneliness and burden that comes with leadership, but like all courageous, focus and pragmatic leaders before him who passed through the same path and came out conquerors, Ayade case will not be an exception. He will by the grace of God successfully nurture all his projects and programmes to a successful completion.
Again, like any other leader or human being, Ayade is not at variance with well intended views, criticisms and advices. He is also aware that there is opposition in all things like the Book of Mormon clearly stated, even mindless opposition; on the whole or in the divine scheme of things, they serve strengthen a man overall personality. Governor Ayade is fully aware of this.
The good works of Ayade will continue to progress from one development point to another until the purpose for which God raise him to the position of the number one citizen of Cross River at this time is successfully accomplish from the signature projects to the garment factory and others; though armies of double-edged sword columnists may spread hate, lies and unwarranted criticisms.
The duty we all owe governor Ayade and his administration as Cross Riverians, Christians, men and women of faith and devotees of other religions and paths which assist men to keep their consciences alive toward God and man is to support and pray for the success of the government. Even the holy scriptures demand that we pray for our leaders and our country.
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The good works of Ayade will continue to progress from one development point to another until the purpose for which God raise him to the position of the number one citizen of Cross River at this time is successfully accomplish from the signature projects to the garment factory and others; though armies of double-edged sword columnists may spread hate, lies and unwarranted criticisms.
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The great Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, Confucius, Buddha, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and all those great leaders earlier mentioned and many more, tested the wilderness of loneliness and the burden that goes with leadership, holding ideas which challenged the usual, the convention and the status quo but came out victors because they dreamed and stood by their dreams irrespective of the legions of skeptics that surrounded them. Ayade faces the same challenge because he ventured to dare as they dared, and he shall overcome as they did.
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Solomon Asha & Emmanuel Ulayi are Media Aides to Governor Ayade of Cross River State.
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