By Anietie Ekong
As it has become the tradition, Senator Godswill Akpabio will not roll out the drums to celebrate his 60th birthday, as significant as it is. He will not invite his fellow politicians to a lavish dinner party, much as he can afford to do so. If I’m to hazard a guess he will invite some priests, close friends, staffs and family members to the chapel in his house to thank the Almighty God for adding another year to his age and for His grace upon his life. One can also say with every degree of certainty that simultaneously across many towns in the country, from Kaduna to Warri, from Ibadan to Keffi, from Ikot Ekpene to Maiduguri friends and associates have been deployed to reach out with essential commodities, provisions and cash to the sick in hospital bays, the underprivileged children in orphanages, the displaced in IDP camps, and the inmates in correctional centres to mark this day. Already a medical outreach programme has begun in his country home to cater for the healthcare needs of the people. This underscores the fact that the life of Senator Akpabio has been a life of service which seeks to add value to people and improve the society rather than amass resources unto himself. In common parlance in Akwa Ibom State he is often described as the one who turned boys to men to accentuate his knack for human capacity development. For Akpabio, the ultimate obligation of leadership is to build people, nurture people and give people hope, not build infrastructures only.
His life has been a trajectory of grace. From early childhood, providence honed the leadership acumen of Senator Akpabio, with an innate passion to serve. This passion did not only deepen in him a strong sense for excellence, it led him to positions of leadership in different stages of his life.At the Federal Government College, Port Harcourt he was made the General School Prefect while at the University of Calabar where he studied Law, he was elected the Speaker of the Students’ Parliament, because of his charisma which endeared him to the students. Because of his humble childhood which he suffered several deprivation including some times not being able to afford the school fees on time, Akpabio had vowed that if he ever found himself in any position of authority he would not allow another child to suffer the hardship he had gone through to acquire education. Little wonder one of the first policy statement of Akpabio as Governor was the declaration of free and compulsory education for all Nigerian children resident in Akwa Ibom State. With this singular act, school enrollment in the state tripled while he embarked on an aggressive building of about 5000 classroom blocks to support the programme.
As Governor of Akwa Ibom State for eight years (2007 – 2015) Chief Godswill Akpabio unleashed a development model never experienced in Nigeria which the people aptly termed “Uncommon Transformation.” The state within the period witnessed unprecedented infrastructural renaissance that a once largely pedestrian and civil service State, became a destination of choice among Nigerians. This was possible because of the impeccable infrastructural facilities that Chief Akpabio built in the State. The roads he built as Governor across the state, over 13 years ago have stood the test of times as there are no potholes in them. The airport he built has made access to the state as a destination, possible. The stadium he built, fittingly named after him as Godswill Akpabio International Stadium was the only FIFA approved stadium in Nigeria until lately when the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja was added according to the Minister of Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had approved the Stadium to host the 2022 CAF Champions League final. The former Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole was so amazed at Ibom Specialist Hospital built by Chief Godswill Akpabio when he embarked on a tour of the hospital that he declared that Nigerians had no reason to embark on medical tourism abroad with the facilities he saw at the hospital which he described as world class. This was in addition to building some cottage and general hospitals. The construction of underground drainage system to check flooding of the State capital and its environs using the pipe jacking technology was the first of its kind in Nigeria. One can go on and on. There was hardly any community in Akwa Ibom State that was not touched either through the big projects or the Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour project which also served as avenue for youth empowerment. As with everything Akpabio, his tenure at the Nigerian Senate also witnessed an unprecedented development as the Red Chambers suspended their rules to make a first term Senator the Minority Leader. Apart from several motions and bills which he sponsored, his constituency projects ranging from construction of open market stalls, rural roads, solar powered water and light projects, building of several classroom blocks and community centres, healthcare facilities were paradigm for rural transformation. His Constituency briefing and empowerment programmes with scholarship to deserving students have remained unmatched till date. It was because of the footprints that Senator Akpabio had left on the sands of Akwa Ibom State as Governor and as a Senator that there was a general consensus that his appointment as Minister was widely received as well deserved and the people commended President Buhari for his choice to man the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. And Senator Akpabio did not disappoint.
As Minister he projected the bigger picture and dared where Angels feared to tread. Within one year, in an unprecedented manner, the President had commissioned three life-changing projects in the Niger Delta region under the supervision of Senator Akpabio. First was the NDDC headquarters complex which had been abandoned for 25 years. Presently the Commission operates from its own headquarters building. The President also commissioned the Police Barracks, Special Protection Unit, Base 6 at Omagwa in Ikwere Local Government Area of Rivers State. The project had been abandoned for 10 years. Next was the commissioning of the abandoned 1050 bed hostel project at the University of Uyo to alleviate the plight of students of the institution among countless other projects. These were complimented by the provision of over 100 shelter to.widows by Mrs Unoma Akpabio through her NGO, the Family Life Enhancement Initiative. At 60, Senator Akpabio through excellence in service at various stations in his life, cuts the picture of a patriot whose burning desire for more service to the nation remains unquenched. This is a well deserved toast to the Uncommon Transformer.
Ekong, a media aide to Senator Akpabio
writes from Abuja.