Ita Enang: Remember What Happened to the first Achan in Israel
It was James Thomson, a Scottish Poet, who noted that, “Ingratitude is treason to mankind”. This thought best explains Senator Ita Enang’s recent smear campaign against Governor Udom Emmanuel, the Government of Akwa Ibom State and indeed the people of the state, who could easily pass as his own kinsmen.
Ita Enang, in his usual anachronistic pattern of political smear campaign called on the federal government of Nigeria to withhold the statutory 13 percent derivation funds accruable to Akwa Ibom. Though he was unable to objectively and logically explain the reasons for his unfounded call, which tantamounts to subjecting the collective destiny of Akwa Ibom to political vagaries, Ita has displayed disdain for humanity and hatred to the state of Akwa Ibom.
Ita’s attitude reminisces Achan’s greed and lackluster insensitivity in the Bible. Achan, the son of Carmi surreptitiously pillaged the beautiful babylonian gold, silver and other valuables from Jericho against the directive of Joshua. This act angered God and caused the entire Israel to be punished by being defeated in subsequent wars. Today, Ita the son of Enang wants Akwa Ibom rights and benefits to be circumvented, simply because he is an office boy in Aso Rock and wishes his people no good.
greed and undiluted penchant for primitive accumulation and self -aggrandizement is aimed at bringing punishment to the entire Akwa Ibom. At this point, it begs to ask some pertinent questions: What has Ita Enang, having been privileged to serve for 16 years in the National Assembly and for Four years at the Aso Rock Villa, done to advance the cause of Akwa Ibom state individually or collectively? Also, does a man whose selfishness and personal greed have failed to translate into tangible deliverables for the state, possess the moral justification to question how Governor Udom Emmanuel utilize funds?
If historic projects such as Ibom Air, the new terminal building at Victor Attah International Airport, the over 1700 kilometer of rural and urban roads, the 21 story Dakkada Tower and the over 18 industries in the state initiated and completed by under Governor Udom Emmanuel means nothing to Ita Enang, then his mental and psychological health should be subjected to thorough scrutiny. How on earth can a sane human being come back to his state and boast that he is very impressed with the Ibom airline owned by the state, and yet still asked that the State be starved of funds because he is not seeing any project done in the state with money.
Also, in research, objectivity requires that the personality and antecedents of whoever gives a testimony should be critically assessed. By extrapolation, Ita Enang leaves much to be desired.
Beyond his mental and psychological fluidness, Ita Enang is an embodiment of treachery. Records have it that Ita Enang has been opposed to the ongoing expansion work on Oron/ Airport Road and other interventions by the state government, on account of being federal Projects. Information has it that he has repeatedly petitioned the Federal Minister of Works on the need for the project to be forestalled.
So in whose interest is Ita Enang serving? Isn’t it a lamentable irony that, in a period when all indigenes of the state, irrespective of party lines, are contributing their quota towards the development of the state, this Achan is busy exacerbating divisive politics aimed at retarding development in the state?
A case in point is Umana Okon Umana, the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in the state and the MD of Free Trade Zone, who is partnering with the state for the establishment of a Free Trade Zone in the state. Can Ita Enang be more APC than Umana who opposed Udom’s emergence in 2015?
We, in the Mandate Eyes hereby warn this contemporary Achan to eschew his atavistic, divisive, hate- induced and personalistic politics, most of which led to the Israelites paying for the folly of Achan.
Akwa Ibom people are happy with the quality leadership provided by Governor Udom Emmanuel, hence the inclusiveness witnessed in the political economy of the state.
We in Mandate Eyes acknowledge that every single major project in the state in the last five years, come from Governor Emmanuel’s efforts, and while bridges, railway lines and refineries are being heard elsewhere, nothing like a matchbox has been erected in Akwa Ibom through the instrumentation of Enang and his fellow Achans. Where there are delays, the Government is urged to complete them.
Finally, we wish to appeal to the leaders and stakeholders of this Achan’s community to advise him to rather channel his loquacious opinions to the Calabar- Itu Highway which has been an agendum in the APC federal government campaigns since of 2015, but remains a mirage till date.
This manifesting Achan should not allow his selfish interest to bring calamity and damnation to his family and the entire state, especially if he can recall clearly what happened to the first Achan in the bible.
Being a statement jointly signed by Comrade Ernest E. Akpan, Coordinator and Comrade Joseph Okon, Secretary of ®MANDATE EYES.
