By the Rivers of Uta Ewa, in Ikot Abasi LGA, Akwa Ibom State, there we sat down to remember our fatherland, our homeland.
It was December 23, 2023, the onset of harmattan haze. The riverside was gloomy, a perfect picture of Nigeria. The currents were strong and tended to change direction suddenly, a perfect picture of Nigeria. We could hardly see far into the uncertainties of the troubled river banks, a perfect picture of Nigeria. Talk less of the sprawling expanse of endless waters that pretended to kiss the skies at some point successfully. A perfect picture of our country.
Certainly, not every boat could handle this turbulent sea, forcing fishermen with small boats to go home, jobless and hungry; a perfect picture of the fatherland.
But here, under a handful of wind tossed conical tents, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State gathered us, his entire cabinet, aides, political and business leadership, to remember the homeland.
Not only us. Governor Eno also arrived with a top brass, the No.1 Naval officer in Nigeria, Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, a three-star General, who came with other brass hats. High ranking architects of Akwa Ibom security architecture were also at hand, from the Commissioner of Police to the heads of various other security agencies.
In spite of the gloomy backdrop that we hubbled together, Governor Eno, a six-footer, stood up tall to shine the light into the darkness and bleakness. The light gladdened the hearts of men and pinpointed a glimmer of hope for the fatherland. Perhaps, this is the governor to watch in Nigeria or is he just a flash in the pan?
His burden today was the security of more than 100 kilometers of Akwa Ibom coastline and the 7.9 million people thereof.
To be sure, Akwa Ibom State is already rated by national security experts in their security index as “one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria”.
But here, Governor Eno provoked the gathering the more to remember the good old days of maritime security, safe waterways and robust coastline, thriving trade, commerce and riverine traffic, which were the major means of transportation and job creation in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
He made us remember such huge ships and ferries like MV ORON, MV OBUDU and MV CALABAR, operated by Elder Dempster Lines, a UK shipping company, which were large enough to carry hundreds of passengers and dozens of vehicles in one fell swoop. He reminded us of our fishermen and women who would be found deep on our rivers late at night inside their small canoes with nets and lanterns, catching fishes and crayfish freely, when words like pirates and kidnappers never existed in the dictionary of our people.
Then he announced the donation of 14 Naval Patrol Gunboats to the Nigerian Navy to help establish authority, sanity and safety in Akwa Ibom waterways and beyond. He took a ride and sailed off with one of the gunboats, guarded by others, deep into the cloudy seas to feel first hand what security agencies feel and do to keep our people and property safe.
Said the governor: “This event is a milestone in our determined and focused effort to secure our waterways, protect our critical economic assets and combat some unwholesome activities along our coastline…These 14 gunboats will also mitigate the activities of pirates and other criminal elements within our coastal communities. This will also boost our blue economy, while improving on the livelihood of the people living within the coastal communities”.
That statement attracted his first round of rousing applause, which further brightened the atmosphere a bit.
He continued: “This great initiative will improve our water transportation within and between our state and neighbouring states, as well as support our fishermen, by providing security to enable them conduct their businesses without harassment… As we promised during our campaigns, we will turn our coastline towns such as Oron, Ibeno, Eastern Obolo, Ikot Abasi and the rest of them into tourism havens and boost economic activities in these communities. We are determined to do that so that we can create jobs for our teeming youths…and improve their living conditions and economic circumstances”.
Before his one hour drive from Uyo to Uta Ewa in Ikot Abasi LGA that afternoon, Governor Eno had sat down with Vice Admiral Ogalla, Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff, in the Government House, to sign a contract with the Naval Shipyard Limited for the construction of a 24-metre long commercial ship that would ply between Oron in Akwa Ibom and Calabar in Cross River State, as an alternative means of transportation between the two sister-states.
Ogalla spoke in glowing terms about the partnership, the progress and the impact that Akwa Ibom State is making in maritime security and economy.
“This partnership is very very key to the development of the blue economy, improvement in water transportation and the development of our local content capacity and capability. Note that this contract was not signed with a Chinese company or a Russian company or an American company, but by the Nigerian Navy Shipyard company in Port Harcourt. “That ferry will be delivered without fail within 18 months and possibly in a shorter time frame”, Ogalla said with military alacrity to a standing ovation.
After the ovation ended, Ogalla continued his speech delivered extempore. “We believe that the governor is a visionary leader and that is why he has seen the relevance of the blue economy in the economic liberation of his people and by extension the economic liberation of Nigeria as a whole and that’s why he’s investing so heavily in the development of these infrastructures. It is a no mean feat…but we promise that Akwa Ibom will have the best out of what the Nigerian Navy is going to provide in terms of the building of that ship”, the Chief of Naval Staff, CNA, said.
Turning attention to the 14 patrol gunboats donated to the Nigerian Navy by the Akwa Ibom State Government, he said ‘security is development’ as no meaningful development can take place without security.
“The modern concept of national security sees security from the point of view of development. “Security is not just people with guns and soldiers all over the place. It is the ability to improve economic security, food security as well as the general wellbeing of the people. “These things cannot be achieved without maritime security, particularly considering that Akwa Ibom State is a coastal State with over 100km of coastline. And that is why, what we are doing here today is very strategic, particularly to us in the Nigerian Navy, who are charged with the responsibility of protection and defense of the nation’s territorial integrity and economic assets particularly within the maritime domain…”
He said the federal government cannot do it alone for the Navy and other security agencies, which justifies the timely intervention of the Akwa Ibom government to increase the capacity of the Nigerian Navy and bolster the state’s security and economy.
“These boats are a testament of the priority Akwa Ibom State Government places on maritime security. It is not surprising because security forms one of the major pillars of the governor’s Arise Agenda”, he said.
He thanked President Bola Tinubu for his “unwavering support to the Nigerian Navy”, and Governor Eno for his foresight and vision for Akwa Ibom State. He vowed that the Navy will “reverse the menace” of crude oil theft, piracy, illegal refineries and pipeline vandalization”.
It was clear, there was light, even before the end of the tunnel. The pride of place given to security and safety in Akwa Ibom State had taken a more serious dimension a few days earlier, when Governor Eno, on December 14, 2023, moved quickly to establish a 5,000-man indigenous security outfit known as Ibom Community Watch, ICW, under the newly created Ministry of Internal Affairs & Waterways. The important Ministry is headed by a young retired Army General Koko Essien, while a veteran and trusted youth leader is the coordinator of the ICW.
Said Governor Eno on Thursday, December 14, 2023, during the official take off of the security outfit: “You are to work under very strict supervision and control of the main security agencies, especially the Police. Your jobs will be to provide grassroot security information, protect government assets in your neighbourhood, help in crowd control and ensure that there is peace in all the neighbourhoods, communities and villages that you are located in.”
Recruited from every community, ward and unit in the state, the governor said the upside of the outfit goes beyond security and safety of lives and property, to creation of employment, capacity building of entrepreneurs and stimulating the local economy.
“I would like to say that we are not only creating jobs for these five thousand youths, we are also creating jobs for small business enterprises. The uniforms you see them wearing today and all the boots in their legs, are made here in Akwa Ibom by Akwa Ibomites and that is part of stimulating the economy, so that our people can continue to be enterprising in many fields of endeavours,” he said.
Funding the security and safety of the state, the governor said, will not be a solo effort of the government. Which is why he had recently signed into Law the Security Trust Fund bill passed by the State House of Assembly. The new law provides for the financial contributions by the private sector organisations doing business in Akwa Ibom State. The Security Trust Fund Agency will soon be set up to be jointly managed by competent and reliable public and private sector officials because, as the governor said “security is a serious business” and a precondition for every successful entity and venture.
Without a doubt, security and safety has taken the centre stage in a state that is already renowned for peace and serenity.
This governor, a pastor and businessman, is walking the talk on the security and safety of his domain as he tackles this critical issue holistically with the zeal of Paul of Tarsus.
Said Udeme Udofia, a professor of environmental pollution and toxicology in the University of Calabar: “I think we are witnessing the making of a great governor”.
*Anietie Usen is Senior Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom State Governor. He is also a regular contributor to The Frontier.
