By CrossRiverWatch Admin
If there was anything that stood former governor Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke out, it was their proactive nature in handling serious state issues, especially when it had to do with the security of lives and properties.
Duke was a lovingly proactive governor. You hardly could take him unaware. He obviously knew that the first responsibility of any government is to protect the lives of her people and the territorial domains of the state.
During the sad and ugly history of Ikot offiong and Itu mayhem, I remember he took many proactive measure to curtail and reasonably nip further escalation of that deadly clash.
He made countless visits to Abuja and his counterpart in the sister state and that sad past was effectively handled, saving alot of lives that would have hitherto been wasted by sons of belial who were already unleased to destroy lives and properties for the political benefits of a few old nicks.
It is popularly believed that his pro-active nature led to the calmness enjoyed during his days as governor. It was even reported in some quarters that at a point he threatened to withdraw certificates of paramount rulers if any communal clash is heard within their domain. Donald Duke as governor, always had his ears to the ground.
Same also could be said of Liyel Imoke.
Liyel Imoke is a wonderful strategist. You could naturally take his calmness for weakness, until you realise how smart he is. These men understood what it meant to take measures ahead.
But this governor, Benedict Ayade, seem completely different.
In direct contrast, Ayade is reactive. I think it is in his nature. I can mention a number of such occasions where Governor Ayade would be so quick to react in assisting victims of either natural disaster or communal clashes making mention of huge monetary donations. Which is a good thing but clearly not the best.
I have watched the governor closely and realised that he naturally loves to rather react to issues after it had happened than take measures ahead of time to prevent them.
Case at hand is the Ugaga village killing. I was not a surprise that the grammar speaking governor seem completely confused and even said that the federal government will need to take ‘scientific measures’ to fight the Fulani menace. – I doubt not, after all we are in a scientific age (we may even need science to feed.)
For Christ sake, the Benue state proposed anti grazing bill has been on for a long time, enough for the governor to understand the direct effect of the law on Cross River state, importantly because we share a common boundary.
He should have been proactive enough as a governor to plan ahead, knowing that the passage of the bill would mean a direct influx of fulani herdsmen into Cross River being a sister state bounded up north.
But this governor has been too busy signing numerous MOUs that we are yet to see the manifestation of even one.
More worrisome is the fact that the about twenty five ‘selected’ members of the state House of Assembly decided to behave like my 94 years old grand mother in my native Ikoneto village, not being current enough with how fulani herdsmen have dealt with those whose villages and farmlands they have invaded and could not envisage this and come up with a bill is terribly sad.
Inside that House of Assembly is a member representing Yala and neighbouring LGAs, that they were so mentally lazy and pursuing frivolities not to be conscious enough to think of a law that would have effectively stopped or cushion the effect of the Benue state anti grazing bill is a matter of legislative rascality and cowardice.
Sincerely, this seem to be a government, where nobody cares enough for anything.
Sometimes I find it difficult to agree that we have a government in Cross River State.
More than two years and still counting, Cross Riverians are yet to understand the direction of the state government, except that about four thousand Philistia have found themselves graciously accommodated within the state governments’ very lean resources causing a wrench because they have to fulfil certain political obligation they may not even understand.
If governor Ayade must have the confidence of the people, he will need to step out of the imaginary into the real. Which is true that the people are still finding it very uncomfortable with him.
Edem Darlington writes via – edem.darlington@gmail.com
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