By Umani Uwemedimo
Few days back, I pondered on a write-up made by one Iniobong John, making emphasis on the lasting legacies of his boss, the embatling Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Distinguished Sen. Godswill Akpabio, in Akwa Ibom state.
His rationale as established from my notion, was a bid to cajole the Honourable Minister so he could present to him another proposal where he can be bankrolled. But what eluded his cerebration is that he was circumlocutorily castigating, shaming his supposed benefactor publicly.
But he should have remembered that his now lover, Sen. Akpabio’s only legacies left behind at the end of his tenure as governor were lifeless projects which the incumbent is employing great effort to give life to.
From the inception of his led state government in 2015, the incumbent, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has been magnanimous by not burying Akpabio’s monuments which were scattered all over the state.
From the Ibom Specialty Hospital to Tropicana, International Stadium, Four point by Sheraton amongst others which Gov. Emmanuel has resuscitated, it has not only been proven that his magnanimity is second to none, but also that he is a giver of life to Akpabio’s numerous lifeless projects.
Antecedently, these projects were only monuments whose interest was not to stimulate the boom of the state’s economy, but for the remembrance purpose of the castellated Minister of Niger Delta: his days as governor of the state.
For instance, the Ibom Specialty Hospital which was purportedly completed and inaugurated by the previous government, was only a structure which was partially finished.
There was no single seat nor hospital bed during and after its official opening. What this denotes is that there was no single medical equipment in that building, but here is the same hospital the Kano State Government built with 40% of the total funds Akpabio used in erecting an unfinished building, three years after.
Having seen that the popular Ibom Specialty Hospital which was supposed to be a solution to Nigeria’s health troubles and a source of revenue for the state, was but a ‘specialty empty house’ and not an hospital, Gov. Emmanuel immediately after his inauguration into office in 2015 declared a state of emergency on it: Up-to-date medical equipment was procured, and the entire place fixed up for full medical activities to commence.
This was when the first brain and plastic surgeries were successfully carried out in the hospital in 2015 respectively. The patient, Pat, which the brain surgery was done on, after all his effort to get that done in South Africa had proven abortive, he was left with no option than to fly into Nigeria, to make use of the newly equipped Specialty Hospital.
The popular Ibom Tropicana before now, was one of Akpabio’s lifeless projects (legacies) he left behind as governor.
A look at the original plan of the place showed that there was provision for a 20-storey hotel with a swimming pool, children park, Silverbird Cinema Hall, shopping malls, and etc.
But the place was officially inaugurated as an international empty building which its aftermath, became a local popcorn retailer’s spot. It was extremely sad that a place rumored to have been an international entertainment center did not even meet up to the international standard for popcorn retailing.
With the amount of Akwa Ibom’s money put into that project, it turned out that it was only but a monument, but thanks to Gov. Emmanuel who came to give it a life. The place having been revamped by the incumbent, has attracted investors within and outside the shores of Nigeria. It has been given the life it deserves.
To be continued……
Umani Uwemedimo, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abak.
