Ahead of Etinan LG poll, a chairmanship hopeful, Obong Nsima Ekpo has insisted that “politics is clean but the players probably could be dirty.”
Obong Nsima Ekpo is an international security expert and former employee of DSS with broad knowledge on management. As a self-made man, he said he is into Etinan chairmanship race to change the dynamics of politics as well as erode the aged-long tradition of underdevelopment of the area. In this interview, Obong Nsima Ekpo explored his development plans for the local government and how he will attract development to the area.
Excerpts:
Some persons may wish to know you beyond your political credentials, can you please tell us a little about yourself and the strides you’ve made in the area of human development and empowerment?
I am Nsima Ekpo, variously known by different Chieftaincy acronyms. By the grace of God I can be modestly termed a serial Chieftaincy honours beneficiary. I am Obong Unwana of Iman Ibom Etinan, Obong Unwana Ukpom Abak, Otuekong Etinan and of course an Ada Idaha ke Efik Ebrutu conferred on me last year by the Obong Of Calabar in council in Calabar Cross Rivet State. Like I usually say it takes the grace of God through selfless service to be recognized by these different communities.
I have never held a political office and honestly I couldn’t have induced or influenced these noble gestures. Like Jesus, I was born of lowly background, my father was a police officer with a distinguished career. It is correct to say that my father’s itinerant and frequent movements placed me in an advantage to traverse the many nooks and crannies of Nigeria. By the time I joined the DSS as a commissioned officer, I also had the advantage of moving around several states and formations of the Service.
I have a first degree from the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Calabar and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Nigeria, Nsuka. At the moment I am what could be termed a professional in politics. I voluntarily disengaged from Federal government service and moved into industrial security sector.
I am presently an investor in the educational and security sectors in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States. By the grace of God I have more than 200 employees currently. The dynamics and experiences from these businesses all add up to continuously enrich and expand my strides and business management insights.
Having passed through decades on earth, would you say God is faithful to you?
Judging from my background, it is very true to say that God has been enormously faithful to me and by extension all stakeholders connected or related to me. This assertion is true when judged against the endless favour, guidance and protection extended to me by divine grace. I will continue to be grateful to God for these unmerited favours which continue to locate me. One striking favor is LIFE and good health which we sometimes take for granted.
Sir, in recent times there have been so many awards coming your way, even from outside the state, in what ways have you distinguished yourself to earn this recognition?
Again it’s this streak of divine grace as I had said. These gestures of honor and appreciation have come from quarters I never imagined.For instance the Obong of Calabar who is a First Class Traditional Ruler is not a personage in want or susceptible to inducement. It is to the glory of God that the little we are doing have caught positive attention of communities and royal fathers. This has continued to fire my zeal to aim even higher.
Politics is said to be a dirty game, owing to your antecedents, do you think you would come out clean?
If you don’t mind I would rather see politics differently and not as the proverbial dirty game. I think politics is clean but the players probably could be dirty. Just like football game, infractions do occur and sanctions are imposed. Remember also that I am a professional in politics and not a professional politician.
My aim is to offer myself for service and I believe that the private sector has offered me an enlightened and rich managerial advantage to apply wherever I might be. These days emphasize has shifted technocrats and the private sector business captains to import/export their unique backgrounds to the public sector.
Many examples abound like our esteemed Governor, HE, Udom Emmanuel, Engr. EtidoInyang, the SSG and many others. It is my belief that the influx of professionals and private sector gurus would overtime purify and project the clean and positive values of the practice of politics.
Why are you in the Etinan Local Government’s chairmanship race?
I am in the race because my people EARNESTLY want me. It is remarkable that they are convinced that if we could do so much to impact and improve lives and their living conditions, a lot more can be achieved at a higher pedestal. I am humbly inclined to believe that they know that I stand for SERVICE and NOT anything near self-enrichment or misguided wastage.
I have by contentment and God’s grace attained a fairly stable state of relative comfort and providence by any standards. With due modesty handing out and giving back to society are my trademark and I will continue to do more whether am in the council or not. However unlike other positions the Chairman of council is uniquely placed on the first front line with the people.
He is supposed to be with them, hear and solve their issues, listen to their problems, cry and laugh with them, comfort them and provide the necessary succor. The chairmanship position as seen from the relevant extant laws is expected to play the role of first line official that stands between the layers of government structures and the people.
The people may never be able or have necessity to travel to Uyo and Abuja because the local government system has bridged the gap and shortened the chain. This therefore means that the chairman should be a trustworthy fellow who is with the people and understands their issues. He must be accessible and display a deep community love and commitment as they increasingly see and perceive of me.
What plans do you have to overhaul the development stigma of Etinan Local Government?
All approved/agreed enunciated development plans and initiatives will be pursued vigorously in tandem with stakeholders’ guidelines and expectations. Etinan will be better for I will be poised to touch lives and create a value chain initiative where all 64 villages in Etinan will be active participants.
What policy thrust of Governor Emmanuel’s administration do you intend to replicate in Etinan?
The Governor HE Udom Emmanuel has done a lot to lay and prosecute a remarkable infrastructural drive in the state and Etinan is beneficiary of several government gestures including a modern hospital and a viable modern road network which had placed Etinan at a strategic advantage.
In fact Etinan is like confluence town with modern road network traversing through to Eket, Uyo, Onna/Port Harcourt. Recall also that the Ekom Iman flyover when completed will serve as a key link to Etinan and the neighboring communities. The foresight of the governor must be acknowledged and appreciated because good road network provides a veritable input for evacuation of produce and finished industrial goods. Etinan has to harness its potentials for maximum benefit in the above stated economic and social equation.)
As an international security expert, how would you bring your expertise to bear in the community policing of the local government?
Because of my training and background everyone believes this should be my constituency and that is right. Depending on the peculiarities of the problems on ground strategic security solutions and remedies will be proffered and in line with the Federal Government community policy initiative, a viable strategy has to be community based and people driven.
This means active collaboration and synergy between the security forces and the citizen. Already and luckily there’s a pilot plan in existence in Etinan actively initiated by the Eteidung, Dr. J. Nsek. I have started off by equipping the groups with necessary non arms gadgets and tools and the luckily the activities of the Neighborhood Watch have yielded positive results and the brazen and audacious criminal activities of the past have subsided significantly.
If I access the Council chairmanship I will adjust where necessary and replicate same strategies to other communities in Etinan. The security and well-being of the people are usually high priority to a caring government and I intend to leverage on this and collaborate with appropriate security agencies for training and capacity building for the Neighborhood operatives.
There is a stereotype that Etinan people don’t welcome visitors, are you bothered about this and what attitudinal programmes would you institute to correct this?
This is one of the myths and innuendos being peddled around and it is false. It seems to me that the Etinan man has always been vociferous and assertive and therefore would yield his land and assets unduly to external aggressors be it direct or indirect as way probably to prevent hostile or surreptitious take over.
Unfortunately this old saying has persisted and as a thing of the mind, adequate and proper reorientation will be adopted to expunge this and preach new values of love and used engagement between and among the people. Remember also that the Etinan folks wouldn’t have embraced the early missionaries and gave them lands if they operated such a belief system.
You can see that lands offered to the missionaries were used for the benefit of all like for instance the Etinan Institute, John Kirk Memorial, Leprosy Hospital and the present Etinan Hospital which our Governor has turned into a modern health care facility. Many of us and several others are products of these institutions.
The local government system is people based. How do you intend to penetrate and reach the people?
I am a grass root man and this is intentional because to be helpful and beneficial to a wide spectrum of people, you must reach out and touch the lives and improve the circumstances of that ordinary man and woman and the youths.
My wife also initiates interactive fora with the women, the widows, aged and the vulnerable through which we now have an active data bank helps us to ensure periodic hand out of palliatives and other gestures. It will be our honor to drive and expand this initiative into the communities in the local government.
Etinan people have been fractured along different political interest, how do you intend to reunite the people?
Among the available options, stakeholder engagement appears a potent solution to quelling internal strife. As you Etinan is a very politically active community and this I believe stems from their consciousness and advantage of education which they’re known for.
We tend to see often see and hear noisy opinions and disagreements but often these are eventually settled amicably without rancor and violence. I think the age long reputation of early education has had a soothing effect in our own brand of politics which I see as “disagreeing to agree”. This on the contrary is the real mature politics.
Why do you choose to run your ambition on the PDP platform?
I choose to run on the PDP platform because it has been my party for years. I have faithfully and diligently served and protected the interest of the party at various levels. My ward, the Urban Ward 1 is strategic and is reputed as a strong political base that has contributed immensely to the emergence adopted PDP candidates in many elections. As the bastion of political power perhaps this is the time to also reward the Urban Ward 1 and adopt myself which they are putting forth.
Are you worried that the primary may not be free and fair or some persons may meddle in the process?
I want to avoid pre judgment but I believe that the party has now evolved with credible and transparent internal processes that will ensure the emergence of the people’s choice. There are also channels open for redress where necessary. As a loyal party man I have confidence in the party.
Where do you want to see Etinan LGA after your administration?
If this opportunity comes to me I want to see Etinan as a shining light among the LGAs. Recall too that am not seeking office because am hungry or deprived. I will leave Etinan a better place and I believe that God’s will shall be done for the restoration of the dignity and pride of my people. Thank you.
