Dakkada: Annang, Oro, and Ekid People are no Slaves in Akwa Ibom

It could be a sad fact to admit without sugar coating that it was Lord Luggard’s manipulation that brought about the entity called Nigeria, with different ethnic nations, still struggling to remain indivisible till date. In Akwa Ibom State, as in Nigeria has several ethnic groups occupying the same geographical space for years. The marriage of cultures and values has been refreshingly beneficial to all and we wouldn’t wish for anything different if there is a life after now. I however write these lines today clothed as an Ibibio man who has spent no fewer than four decades on this soil. Some of my brothers- Ibibio people have developed a pattern of action that may threaten the soul of the unity of our people. I do not subscribe to the belief that other parts of the State are infidels and therefore, have no inherent right to be in leadership positions in the State. In the myopic thinking of some bigots, other persons should remain slaves , serving the Ibibios in Uyo Senatorial District.
I was highly embarrassed when a reader of one of my articles published in a local tabloid sent me a nauseating text message challenging what he perceives as my opposing view to an Ibibio son of Uyo Senatorial District. I receive tons of such messages regularly lace with bile and hate but this one just struck me and I felt I have had enough of this and should share it. The sms was sent from 0803-860-2865 and he wrote ‘’Akwa Ibom State was created for the Ibibio’s and all other ethnic groupings are our servant. The mistake of zoning brought in Akpabio, and Ibibio have since learned from that mistake, and we will do everything to stop its further occurrence ‘’ When I received this I thought I should engage the sender. So I replied him, Is Onna not part of Ibibio land? he replied ‘’mme utip-udong ‘’ they are descendants of Ekid people’’ I knew there was no need to further engage the folk. The argument will lead nowhere. A lot of things ran through my mind after reading such provoking and demeaning rants from an Ibibio man, my own brother who sees no good in others, but wailing in self-imposed owner of Akwa Ibom State mentality. It reminded me of 2011 and some of the nasty things I heard during the campaign of Senator Akpan Udoedehe, when someone said the Annangs where slaves that were brought in by the Ibibios to help them in farming and fishing. Absolute rubbish. In one of those rallies in Uruan Local Government, where I hail from, the failed ACN- Candidate told his followers that the ‘’Annangs where ndito ubom’’ (canoe boys). I also have on record what someone said at the palace of Edidem Umoette, that man, a candidate from Uyo Senatorial District told the monarch that is time the Ibibio’s in Atai Uyo took back power and remained our slaves tribes that Akwa Ibom State is an Ibibio enclave and the slaves whom our fore fathers gave land to earn a living should be reminded that they are not part of us and therefore cannot dictate the space of leadership in the State.
I know these sentiments flow well with politics and work quite fast on gullible people but do we forget so easily? Years back sentiments like this led to the brutal mass slaughtering at Uyo Roundabout and at the location we have the University of Uyo town campus. The murder was done by Nigerian Soldiers, but was however instigated by sentiments like this. Thankfully, Akwa Ibom has laid to rest that dark side of our history. As you move to Ibom Hall grounds, about 31 heroes, who were brutally murdered in the state during that ungodly carnage are honoured with plagues. With the unveiling and dedication of memorial plaques at Ibom Hall Grounds, Uyo, the innocent leaders who were the victims of extra-judicial executions by the Nigerian Army are forever remembered.
The former Governor of Akwa Ibom State , Senator Godswill Akpabio CON during the memorial service he organised to honour these slain heroes and heroines lamented by saying “Unfortunately, at the peak of their glory, there was an eclipse, and darkness was cast over our land. It was the fratricidal Civil War. Evil men and women crawled out of their covens to unleash horror on our land. Wickedness bared its fangs and flourished in the land. The Devil laid it upon the hearts of his infernal agents to destroy our leaders. The finest men in our clime, some of the best in our country were not only murdered, some met very gruesome deaths. “Innocent men were tied to cars and driven on the road until they died. Decency would forbid me to give you more details of how some of them met their deaths for they are indeed gory. I fear that some of you here might become sick, and it would further traumatize their families. Innocent, righteous men were killed because of petty jealousies and envy. The devil left a trail of blood from one end of this state to the other. Our state capital became the Golgotha (the place of the skulls) of our leaders. We lost the finest crop of leaders in our clime and some of the best this State has ever had”.
I could recalled how some of the families present at the memorial service collapsed and were rushed to the hospital and others present cried, even after many years had passed by, when they recalled how some elders from Uyo Senatorial District used the civil war to murder their political opponents and others were also murdered because they were not Ibibios of Atai Uyo. I would not want to mention all the names of those men and women that were killed , recall Minister Affiah from Abak and Public Service Commissioner Udo Udo Okure were among the prominent sons of Akwa Ibom State that were senselessly murdered . Until Akpabio’s memorial service for mercy, their blood became curses to our land, that is why it is very hard to eradicate political blackmail and ethnic sentiments from the State as it was institutionalized by our founding fathers , recall Minister Affiah from Abak and Public Service Commissioner Udo Udo Okure from Ikot Ekpene, top shots in the then Eastern Nigerian government that who fought and paved the way to our statehood which we all today jubilate about. Let the record also reflect that in recognition of his outstanding government service to Nigeria and the former British Colonial Government, Queen Elizabeth 11 of England awarded Udo Udo Okure the high honour award of OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire). The Order of the British Empire recognizes distinguished service to the arts and sciences, public services outside the Civil Service and work with charitable and welfare organizations of all kinds. One might also point out that Udo Udo Okure significantly contributed towards the translation of the English Bible into our native vernacular. We killed him. Ethnicity killed him.
My submission is that we imbibe the good principles of the Dakkada Initiative of Governor Udom Emmanuel and rise from these primordial sentiments. Dakkada is a call to re-orientate the minds of the people of the State to move away from this bile and tar where some tribes will regard other tribes as slaves that should not have a say in both the development of the State and the leadership. The mind is a reservoir of ideas and dreams. It is a safe house of everything that can ever be imagined. The mind is the greatest motivation microcosm in all humans. Nothing comes to be without receiving the amazing touch of the mind. Everything that was, that is and that will be is conceived in the mind. One of the greatest achievements a man can bequeath to his people is the mind power. If we resolve in our minds to let go of these forces that take us backwards, we can have a new beginning. It is in that light that the Dakkada philosophy has been celebrated across Akwa Ibom State and beyond. The greatest tool in changing primitivism, unproductivity and complex is to transform the mentality of the people through inspiring and motivational best practices. Inspiring leadership is not approximately based on economic and infrastructural development alone, but is also a contrivance that breeds attitudinal change and spiritual rebirth. Governor Udom Emmanuel’s Dakkada Spirit is conceived to destroy every tribal line and divide and bring Akwa Ibom State under one umbrella, where Annangs, Oros and the Ekids will not be regarded as infidels or outcast but as true citizens of Akwa Ibom State , with the right to lead and join in the development of their land.
Governor Udom Emmanuel’s primary aim of inspiring the people of Akwa Ibom State, is to change the mind-set of the people. He wants to move the State forward by encouraging the people to look beyond the stereotypic attitude of hating our brothers in other ethnic groupings. He wants the entire State to unite against segregation and ethnic egosm. The Nigerian army killings of the innocent were simply caused by envy of the opposing elites who were betrayed to be killed by their fellow brothers due to conflict of political and economic interest stirred by propaganda and saboteurs from the majority who then wanted to diminish the voices of the minority who are power brokers to remain majority forever . Recently some elders in Uyo Senatorial District have remain adamant in changing their stand that every ethnic group should have the right to govern the State. They have said in one of their press releases , that Ibibio in Uyo must retain power twice , before any of the minority groupings can have one turn, even when the elections have come and gone. It is myopic and an act of man’s tyranny against man. We are equal in the sight of man and God , the grand- standing by some of the elders is misleading and capable of causing tribal war within the State , or secret killings along ethnic lines.
Akwa Ibomites must stand up against segregation. It is time to grow above ethnic- biases and see each other as men that have equal opportunities. The leadership of Akwa Ibom State was not given to any group as a birth right but all ethnic groupings within the State have the right to govern be governed without prejudice. Lets forget about what went wrong yesterday and see what we can do today, to right the wrong of yesterdays . Those ancestors who brought this hatred have died and are since buried. Let us the new generation allow their evil to rest in their graves with them –Dakkada, let’s unite as one , It is only in unity that we can become so great as a people. No one is greater than God