By CrossRiverWatch Admin
After going through a press release with the above mentioned title, personally signed by Senator John Owan Enoh, dated 1st September, 2018, I wish to react to certain intrinsic snares that I have noticed in the distinguished Senator’s notice and seek to express my worry accordingly.
We have come a long way in this state, from the burial of our ethnocentric ghosts past (Atam Congress and other ethnocentric bigots and jingoists), to the accommodation of new and progressive tendencies towards building a new and egalitarian Cross River State (Clement Ebri, Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke, Ben Ayade).
We should never return again to Egypt, please.
My discomfiture with the September 1, press release by Senator John Owan Enoh concerns the use of ‘’Ejagham’’ as an innuendo to situate and justify his Governorship ambition.
This would not only offend me as an Efik son, but other ethnic groups in Cross River State (Bekwaras, Bahumuno, Yala, Ukele, Bettes, Efiks, Mbembes, Mbube, Okoyong etc.
Other aspirants for Cross River State Governor in the All Progressives Congress APC, have not played the ethnic card or played up other divisive demeanour, which is commendable.
The Northern Senatorial district should be allowed to complete its second term. What is good for the goose, is good for the gander; methinks.
When Enoh was voted in by the APP legislators in 1999 as a Minority Leader in the Cross River State House of Assembly, no ‘’Ejagham card’’ was played up; same with the House of Representatives and Senate, no one ever considered that the ‘’Mbembes’’ were more than the Etung people, but they supported Enoh, unequivocally.
Therefore, the introduction of ethnocentrism into our body polity, again, is worrisome and should be jettisoned forthwith.
Let us avoid the Pandora’s Box.
While acknowledging that it is within the rights of APC to skew their political offices as they deem fit and Senator John Owan Enoh to contest for any position that he is eligible, clarity and lucidity should be sought and gotten over Senator Enoh’s presumed play-up of the ethnic card.
No, it is not like his altruistic self. No.
So what happened? What is going on?
“May he live in interesting times.”
Apocryphal as that may be, this is the way the cookie crumbles.
Orok Otu Duke, is a former Deputy Speaker of the Cross River state House of Assembly. He writes from Duke Town.
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