Miss Miriam Joseph Ekeng, a 200 level student of Mass Communication, University of Calabar (UNICAL), in this exclusive interview with Patrick Obia of CrossRiverWatch shares the reason why she decided to tattoo Ayade’s face amidst the backlashes he enjoys.
Excerpt.
What motivated you to have Governor Ben Ayade’s tattoo on your back?
I actually admire the Governor a lot, so I feel this is my way of showing him what I feel. What motivated me to even do this is the good works he has done and is doing; he has brought down power to the youths. Years ago I could find old men as Special Advisers leading the State but since he came on board in 2015, I noticed a lot of my friends, family are benefitting from him.
For instance, the day I heard Cross River has purchased an airplane – Cally Air, I was so amazed! Imagine the joy, I screamed because nobody ever thought of that, nobody has ever done that; that’s incredible. Even if he leaves, he has done something and for me he has done a lot.
People are benefitting from the things he is doing, both my friends and family. There was a time I will call my uncle and ask him for money he will say no money, they have not paid but I noticed all of a sudden, since I’m still in school if I ask him for money, he responds, the Governor is so nice; he is a nice person to me, in my own point of view I don’t know about others.
Do you Intend to clean this tattoo on your back as soon as the Governor leaves office in 2023? Is it a permanent tattoo or temporal.
That question is funny, do you know why?
No!
Becausese the tattoo on my back is permanent. Left for me, I’m not intending to clean it, but I don’t know how life could twist and turn around. For me, I don’t want to clean it. I did it for love, the love I have for him is for my own appreciation, to appreciate him for his efforts; that was why I drew it and I’m not planning to clean it.
Para-venture, your aim of drawing this tattoo is not met or achieved, what will you do?
I can’t kill myself. My aim is to have a session with him and talk to him. There are things I feel I can contribute. I could tell him do this, do that. Where I stay there are voices, there are words. I feel the tattoo is a means of having his attention to recognize me so I can share some common reasoning with him. But if it’s not achieved I will not kill myself and life goes on.
You mean, your aim of drawing this tattoo is to meet him one-on-one?
Yes!
There are some schools of thought who are saying since the Governor came on board, he has not lived up to expectations, do you agree to those schools of thought ? If yes why? If no why?
I don’t agree at all because, to be a Governor its not easy. For example, in my class, in my department, I am the Class Representative, imagine being the Course Representative alone, its not easy. So you imagine somebody governing the State; it is not an easy position even if they are the one in that position they won’t do anything.
People must talk, you can’t stop people from talking and there must be critics everywhere. So my words of advice for him is to just keep being him, keep doing the good things he is doing and never stop because if he has to listen to what people are saying, he will end up doing another thing that wasn’t from his heart. That is their own business oh! For me he has tried, for real.
The opportunity of conceiving such is limited, by doing this, what are you telling other youths?
I’m not asking them to join me and draw it and get the Governor’s attention, it is my own way of having a session with him. I know many of them out there really want to talk with the Governor, they should have their own message and find their way of giving the message; this is my own way of talking to him.
Leave feedback about this