By Don Archibong
Sun Tzu in his bestselling book, ‘The Arts of War’ wrote, “What enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge”. Comrade Emmanuel Amama’s selection as one of the sixteen recipients of the 2016 Local Government Merit Award (LOGMA) portrays him as a shining testimony in the spectrum of the ideology captured above.
The well-organised event which was held at the auditorium of the National Merit House, Maitama – Abuja, on October 13th 2016 and chaired by the Executive Director of Ken Nnamani Centre for Leadership and Development, Ambassador Joseph Ayalugo, had the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed represented by a Director in the Ministry of Information, Mr. Olusola Osibiyi. Gov Ganduje of Kano state was equally represented by his Senior Special Adviser, Hon. Maurtala and the Chairman Board of Trustees of Association of Local Governments in Nigeria (ALGON) Chief Adegbero was also represented by Director Protocol of the association, Chief Okafor Ikemba at the event, amongst many other dignitaries.
According to the National Coordinator of the award, Prince Bayode Ojo, the noble idea of Local Government Merit Award was conceived in the year 2000 to honour men/women who have distinguished themselves in Local Government Administration, stimulate fair competition, as well as periodically assess the prospects and challenges of democratic governance at the grassroots level. Having emerged through a rigorous selection process, Prince Ojo commended the outstanding performances of the distinguished awardees with an insightful remark that emphasized the peculiarity of the 2016 edition thus, “It is not easy to dare the economic recession facing the great country presently to impact positively on the lives of rural dwellers in your respective domains”.
The Chairman on the occasion, Ambassador Joseph Ayalogu, underscored the importance of a viable Local Government administration in Nigeria, being the closest to the grassroots, emphasizing that all nations of the world, without exception, place premium on Local Government administration. He therefore added his voice to the advocacy for Local Government autonomy in Nigeria, and urged the distinguished awardees to see the award as an encouragement to do more.
In a keynote address on, “The Third Tier of Government in the Political System in Nigeria”, Mr. Olusola Osibiyi, a representative of the Minister of Information and Culture, pointed out that the essence of Local Government Areas creation was to bring government nearer to the people and stimulate development at the grassroots in a democratic dispensation. Osibiyi reiterated, urging the recipients to see the award as incentive that will inspire them to work harder “Although they (Local Government Areas) have challenges, interferences and even paucity of funds, it is a testimony that not only can development take place but indeed Local Governments are indeed working”.
As a mark of honour for their outstanding contribution to the growth and development of their people and area, all distinguished awardees were allotted time to make brief remarks at the event. However, when Comrade Emmanuel Amama’s turn was announced, the band charged the atmosphere with the melodic harmony of a popular Akwa Ibom tune “Abasi ayaya anana ndo” (God is handsome and excellent) to usher to the podium with cool, majestic and unflustered demeanour, the elegantly dressed Transition Chairman of Obot Akara Local Government Area.
Beauty and intelligence are often said to be a very rare combination, but this handsome, self-styled Comrade was an embodiment of such rarity. Thus, like an active volcano in the colon awaiting eruption, he blasted a commensurable, insightful and thought provoking intellectual fireworks with great composure and stupendous sagacity to proved his mental mettle on the microphone – thus upping the ante of his hitherto ‘triumphant entry’ to win over the admiration of those who were sceptical of his intellectual capacity.
Drawing impetus from one of Isaac Newton’s greatest quote, “If I can see farther than others, it is because I am standing on the shoulders of a giant”, Comrade Amama posed a strong and passionate challenge to the youth to arise and claim today, the tomorrow that the elders promised them yesterday by seeing politics and public office as service. Little wonder the hall erupted in thunderous cheers when he eventually named the two distinguished giants on whose shoulders he was standing to include; His Excellency, Deacon Udom Emmanuel, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Minority Leader of the Senate.
Apart from being one of the youngest Chairmen selected for the award, Comrade Amama stood out for many other reasons. He was the only recipient who had the Chapter Chairman, Ward Chairmen, leaders and People’s Democratic Party faithfuls, Special Assistants to Governor Udom Emmanuel, President and members of Association of Commercial Motorcycle Operators, Obot Akara Chapter, President and members of the Intellectual Forum and many other personalities accompanying him to the award. The ceremony stood still for Obot Akara, Akwa Ibom and the PDP as his entourage offered thunderous and unrelenting party’s chants and cheers to pale others into insignificance – a pointer to why a recipient from the ruling party lamented that his party members who were recipients were acting as though they were not proud of their political party.
Acknowledging the love and support of his spouse, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Amama, the only recipient who did, and the pathfinder role his elder brother and only sibling Sir Donatus Amama has played in his life, Comrade Amama proved himself a man not only imbued with strong family bond and values but also emphasised gratitude and unity as recipes for success.
Although all the lofty programmes of his administration in Obot Akara Local Government Area would have been adjudged laudable for him to have been nominated and subsequently selected for the award, there are some whose uniqueness would not forgive silence. For instance, the Prison Intervention programme aimed at providing legal aid/representation for indigenes of the area in prison custodies, some for minor offences, who cannot afford legal fees, have so far recorded more than five of such people discharged and acquitted. When one considers the alarming rate of prison inmates awaiting trial, some for than 10 years, Comrade Emmanuel Amama deserves a pat on the back. This initiative, if replicated by others, will decongest the already overpopulated prisons in the country and help benefiting inmates whose productive years would have been wasted away, return to normal life.
Considering the prime place of peace in the development, another very remarkable programme that towered Amama above contemporaries was the restoration of peace in the boundary communities in Obot Akara Local Government Area and her Abia State counterparts. It is on record that these boundary communities were often ravaged by unending communal clashes that left unquantifiable dose of sorrow, and preventable loss of lives and properties at their wake. Today, inter-boundary communities festivals, inter-community visits, consultations and quick intervention to nip brewing problem in its bud as pioneered by his administration has restored peace in the hitherto warring communities – an initiative that earned him an International Award as an Eminent Peace Ambassador. Consequently, the above feat may suggest why Obot Akara was selected to host the 2016 International Day of Tolerance (an event that had the Deputy Governors of Akwa Ibom State and Abia States amongst other dignitaries of both states and communities in attendant).
The Chairman also used the opportunity to highlight the unique potentials of Obot Akara Local Government Area such as the rich fertile plains suitable for Agriculture, artisanship and entrepreneurial spirit of the people, abundant sand mines, strategic location considering her proximity to the commercial city of Aba, rich cuisines and peaceful disposition of the people. With a few, but carefully selected words – for want of time, he undeniably captured a plethora of credentials that would make Obot Akara every tourist and investor’s choice destination – thus leaving no one in doubt why two editions of Gulder Ultimate Search were hosted successively in the forest of Usaka, Obot Akara Local Government Area.
When he ended his remarks with “Akwa Ibom no dey carry last” to a rousing applause, the delectable Amama, literally stole the shine from other awardees. It took several minutes of frantic persuasion for normalcy to return to the hall as the Comrade, who obviously left no one with a dint of doubt as to why he was selected for the honour, had many dignitaries at the event swarming around him, like a legion of Asian honeybees attracted to the glow of a water lilly flower.
The Chairman of Obot Akara Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Mr. Ekomenami Okat, who saw the LOGMA award bestowed on his Local Government Chairman as well deserved and worth celebrating, posited, “The award is a plus to our great party the P.D.P. and indeed strength to Obot Akara Local Government Area. It is an encouragement for hard-work, as the chairman, Comrade Amama is a hardworking guy; everything he has achieved is a product of hard-work”. Mr. Okat enjoined Obot Akara people to keep fit and work hard – trusting that one-day; they shall achieve the necessary good.
Mr. Joseph Paul Ekanem, a yealing to his Council’s boss and entourage to the award ceremony was emphatic Comrade Amama was an inspiration to him, the youth of Obot Akara and Nigeria and that the award was a pointer that it pays to do good. He added, “It is better for our future to start now and plant”. Because when we do well, it means that we are planting seeds – seeds that will germinate, seeds that will grow so that the whole world will see. So what he has done today, he is planting for the youth of Obot Akara, he is planting for the new generation. He is making the elders know that we are ready for the job; we are ready for the service”. Mr. Joseph Ekanem crowned his reaction with a prayer for the Awardee who has made them proud thus, “We are very happy and we will continue to pray for God to continue to protect him, elevate him and take him to enviable heights”.
Although passion to enhance the well-being of his people had won him many previous awards and commendations, Comrade Amama, until his recent merit award, may have been oblivious to the recognition his efforts in Obot Akara Local Government area was getting nationally, especially in this period of economic recession. However, Amama, having been raised by a-no-nonsense parents and learned from Hon Monday Ebong Uko (whose mentorship he would gladly and openly confess), would not stand on the shoulders of Mr. Integrity, Gov. Udom Emmanuel and The Uncommon Transformer, Sen. Godswill Akpabio without outshining other stars in the galaxy. For these are men whose inexhaustible energies, insurmountable passion and dogged zeal to better the lives of their people have dotted every sphere of human endeavour, leaving the shines on whomever they meet. Therefore, Comrade Amama, having been tutored, mentored and inspired by the best, could waltz beyond the economic woes in the country to perform remarkably in Obot Akara Local Government administration to attract the Local Government Merit Award, the only one so honoured in the State, may as well have been as predictable as daybreak.