Friday last week, President Goodluck Jonathan, accompanied by Presidents John Mahama of Ghana and Alassane Quattara of Cote d’Ivorie flew to Akwa Ibom State and inaugurated the 30, 000-capacity Akwa Ibom International Stadium, called the “Nest of champions.” The project was wholly financed by the state government.

Days before the event, some journalists fed us to constipation with stories of the stadium’s magnificence. They threw up the phrase “world class” while describing the edifice that at some point it became clichéd. You would think they ought to take some time and enlighten us on the projected revenue earnings of the project.

The state governor, Godswill Akpabio, was the man of the moment. Like most Nigerian politicians, Akpabio loves hyperboles and there was no better occasion to dish them out than at the occasion. If he had stopped at envisioning world-beaters springing from the stadium, his hyperboles would have been less insufferable. But bent on maximising his photo-op, he launched into the worth of the global sports industry, noted the earnings of sporting stars like boxer Floyd Mayweather, footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and tennis star Serena Williams, and concluded that Nigeria deserves some share of the money.

How that was supposed to happen from the stadium apparently escaped the governor’s top-down tunnel vision. I guess his speechwriters left that to his listeners to figure out by themselves.

The National Stadium, Lagos – like, the similarly named National Stadium, Abuja, – are imposing sports facilities built on crass rationale and ambiguous dreams. Nigeria has yet to visualise how to make these projects a money making venture. How does Akpabio’s own propose to be different?

For those about to defend Akpabio’s sporting vision, a caveat: This is not the first time he imposed a white elephant, for that is what the stadium is, on the state. There are other glaring instances of his misplaced priorities.

In March, The Nation reported that Akwa Ibom was going to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with SnowValley Europe Limited for the building of a snow resort. You read that right; a snow resort in Akwa Ibom State! Akpabio was quoted as saying, “This project is not only essential in Nigeria but also in West Africa. We want to move the country forward with this type of project. The world is a global village and we need our children to compete with the rest of the world by creating quality facilities.”

How a snow resort in Uyo will translate into West African children competing effectively with the rest of the world might have to be prised out of the governor’s hyperactive imagination.

Then, the Tropicana Entertainment Centre, built at a staggering N33bn, is another instance. In July, The Nation again reported, “Initially, N100 was charged at the cinema. After stabilising the centre and ensuring enough traffic flow of people, the rate was increased to N250 while the state government is still subsidising the amount. During one of his visits to the centre, Governor Akpabio explained that the state government was subsidising the centre to encourage the low income earners enjoy one of the best facilities of the state government. Akpabio admitted that the economy of the state has not developed to the extent where the low income earners would be spending N1, 500 in watching a movie.”

You might want to ask Akpabio why his government built an uneconomical entertainment centre that was obviously not part of his people’s immediate priorities. Where in the world does the state subsidise entertainment? And, was he not one of the governors who stoutly rejected fuel subsidy in 2012?

Then in November, the same governor launches a multi-billion-naira stadium. Given more time and enough money, Akpabio will build a shrine to the god of hedonism. He seems to prefer the easier and superficial road to development; the one that gives us something to gawk at, praise and even celebrate with a vanity fair. Such pretentious achievements do not take hard work neither do they require profundity of thoughts. Instead, they exist on abracadabra – you keep looking in one direction while the sleight of hand is going on elsewhere.

Before Akpabio embarked on these projects, did he work with feasibility studies? Did he pay a visit to Tinapa in nearby Calabar and ask himself why that project, launched with dazzling fanfare, has failed to generate the kind of patronage then Cross River State Governor Donald Duke envisioned?

Just how many matches can be played in Akpabio’s “world-class” stadium every year to guarantee the place running without the government having to give it a crutch to stand? If 30, 000 people paid N1, 000 to watch matches in that stadium every weekend (assuming that is ever possible), will it buy the diesel for the many generators necessary to supply power and keep the place running?

His comparing the Nigerian sports industry to foreign one misses an important point: the cultural economy the Oyinbo have built around their sports industry is akin to religion in and of itself. Until you have a country where someone will travel from Mubi, Adamawa State to Uyo simply to watch his local team play, investing in huge sporting facilities in Nigeria is sheer waste of resources.

The trouble with the likes of Akpabio, really, is that they are afflicted with the Udoji syndrome – so much money, practically non-existent development ideas. In the 70s, when Nigeria suddenly found itself awash with money, then Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, was reported to have gleefully declared that they had no clue what to do with money. Part of their efforts at spending was to create the “Udoji award” and that era witnessed heightened profligacy that wrecked the economy. The irony is that we accumulate these historical experiences but we never seem to learn from them.

Today, Akwa Ibom is rich, perhaps richer than several African countries put together. The state has a relatively small population and as Akpabio admitted, a number of them are low-income earners. In such a context, it is unsurprising that his dreams are easily exhausted that he resorts to building monuments to vanity.

If Akwa Ibom has so much money, is it too much to save for the future? With the unpredictability of oil earnings, what happens if global prices of oil should crash as is the case now with Nigeria? How does the state survive? And if he has an aversion to savings, should he and his co-Niger Delta governors not begin to consider some kind of regional cooperation, and build regenerative infrastructure that will take advantage of geographical proximity? Collectively, their humongous earnings can be used to set up infrastructure that make for a conducive investing atmosphere. That way, there will be jobs for the people. With their income level raised, they will be able to afford the simple pleasures of life such as buying their movie tickets.

source:
http://www.punchng.com/opinion/viewpoint/governor-money-miss-road/

Only for matured rumination please...

Thank you

To me the staduim is a miss considering that if had been to Aba you will discover that most of the factory workers there are from Akwa Ibom. Akpabio should have invested these money into some profitable ventures that will employ his citizens, the only economically viable club in Nigeria is Enyimba yet their staduim look like a ditch for mudfight.

Akpabio should have invested somewhere else like tourism, manufacturing and agriculture.


Buddah Monk slept here.

So on point OP

Imagine the water fountain at Nwaniba road, the rate dat diesel runs with 2 powerful soundproof generators for good 24 hrs daily. Wat a waste of d state resources

OP Some people will be allergic to this write-up and they will see you as someone that doesn't like 'advancement' in their term.But for me it's a white elephant project.
Tinapa, Abuja National Stadium and the Lagos National Stadium are all White Elephant projects

OP, the article failed to proffer concrete solutions.

yousee:
OP, the article failed to proffer concrete solutions.

If you can't see it ,you should put on glasses. Can't you see regenerative infrastructure?
The writer is right. National Art theatre, iganmu comes to mind.

well, since they have the money, they have to spend it on something? Infrastructure is as good a cause as any.


nothing wrong with having the first indoor snow arena in west africa.

technically speaking.

oduastates:


If you can't see it ,you should put on glasses. Can't you see regenerative infrastructure?
The writer is right. National Art theatre, iganmu comes to mind.

Glasses ko glasses ni.
He said Akpabio shouldn't build a stadium. I agree. What should he have done instead? That's what I expect not all these plenty grammar.



Na that time we go sabi who be public critic.

With d kind of money available to Akwa-Ibom, I expected Akpabio to build petrochemical companies that will b run by private organization or even take licience to build a refinary and partner with private company to raise money for construction and management of d refinary or build a textile industry or build a technology village or build a tomatoe paste industry where d tomatoes wasting in d north can b processed. Nobody should tell m a tomatoe paste company is not viable in Akwa-Ibom bc everyday Kenya transport perishable Agricultural products to Europe. Sometimes I wonder if d pple who get to bcom our leaders v common sense. Nevertheless I must commend Akpabio cos atleast he has done so many things with d money afterall there were pple b4 him who did nothing than to loote d available resources. May b its time Nigerians awake and pressure our leaders to do vialble project rather than build self gratification projects.

The writer will be called APC.

beautiful piece! akpabio definitely didnt think this through in the rush to build the stadium. this is a typical "i am working" project that is grandiose but if looked at critically,is empty!
our leaders conveniently forget(some dont even have a clue) about the essence of governance which is THE PEOPLE and giving them what they NEED.

what can 39billion naira do in healthcare or education a whole lot!
the average akwaibom man needs to be able to get cheap or free healthcare when he falls ill.
he needs to be able to access free education for his kids in quality government schools.
he needs to be able to get from point A to point B rapidly, and in comfort as he ekes out a living.

Hmmmm.... Seeing the replies and comments, it is really food for thought. Nice one Op. Keep the comments rolling.

There is nothing nigerians will not complain about . . When ball was played at moses esuene stadium,they said,"is that the best stadium in 9ja" . Now,a new one is built and you're saying another thing . .
.
If the money was used for another thing,they will say,"he ought to have built a stadium with the money"
.

Haters will never stop.
So why has Fashola not built a refinery and call on the private sector to manage it?
Envy
Bitterness
Petty jealousy. This is all I see. This write up is ill conceived
No country waits until the last citizen is taken out of poverty until it embark on certain projects.
India, China, Russia, US, etc all started space programmes at a time many ( in some cases hundreds of millions ) of their citizens were ( some still are ) stricken with poverty.
Akwa Ibom deserved more of such stadiums and has gotten one kudos to Akpabio.
Stop the hate.
You will all wake up one day to discover that Akwa ibom had surpassed Lagos. ( maybe this is the problem)
When Fashola refurbished the kiosk at Surulere he was praised to high heavens. No one complained that Lagos is full of the worst slums in Africa.
I am beginning to agree that a section of this country frowns at another section out performing it. Sometimes am really short for words.
Akpabio had built more roads with bridges than you have ever seen a single government did, federal roads inclusive and is not complaining like Fashola
Schools at almost 90% completely renovated. ( u can claim ameachis own are better yet I think his is not up to 20%)
An elibrary
Schools to secondary level are free, waec/neco fees are paid
5 nos hospitals, many more health centres built,
Children under the ages of 6 and adults above 65 get free medicare
A referral hospital probably the best purpose built is to be commissioned soon.
The Tropicana/cineplex, sheraton on course
An airport completed with Maintenance hangar, expansion on course
Ibom power plant completed built tens of kilometres of pipeline from Eket to Ikot Abasi also erected a High tension to evacuate the power from Ikot Abasi to Eket.
Over 85% electrification achieved with 100% promised by 2015
Thousands of minor inter ministerial projects most of which have been advertised in some national dailies with locations and photographs (I guess for pips like this writer) to see.

In the 21st century only e.d.i.o.t.s still think that it's the role of government to build factories or plant plantations.
Russia realised it wasn't the best, China knows it's impossible. If government have built dams please farm. Since there are good roads please be a transporter.
You can't be more Catholic than the pope. Stop despising the Akwa Ibomites. They are happy.

I read somewhere where someone demanded life touching projects and I asked are these ones death touching.
May the envious perish.

[size=15pt]The writer is an APC bad belle janjaweeed[/size]

mesoade:
There is nothing nigerians will not complain about . . When ball was played at moses esuene stadium,they said,"is that the best stadium in 9ja" . Now,a new one is built and you're saying another thing . .
.
If the money was used for another thing,they will say,"he ought to have built a stadium with the money"
.

i cant believe the point of the article was totally lost on you. did you even read it?

phantom:

i cant believe the point of the article was totally lost on you. did you even read it?

yea , he wrote an interesting piece , but what i'm butressing on is that akpabio for the past years has been focusing on poor masses . .from water,to agriculture,to power to roads e.t.c . . If he doesnt do dis,ppl wil say he focused on evry aspect except sports . . That's why he did that,and besides the stadium wil serve as a source of revenue to the state.

Akpabio is typical of most Nigerian politicians( apart from amaechi , fashola , Amosun and oshiomole) .

They steal most of the money, use part of the test to buy loyalty and militias( thugs) and spend the rest they end up not stealing, on building rubbish.
The only state with such agro potentials to feed urban centres in PH and Aba, availability of land and with the financial resources to put every woman over 24 years old in council/public housing deserves a lot better.
I guess this is the replication of the Jonathan's so-called development by crappy glorified landing strips. Aeropolis they called it.
How things could have been different if those riches has come under Obong Attah( the person who fought for and won the oil dichotomy battle) . At least with Attah, you can expect stuffs related to gradual organic growth, with the wave lifting all boats.

phantom:

i cant believe the point of the article was totally lost on you. did you even read it?

That brainwashed fellow did not read it. I swear!

People can never be pleased..."NEVER"...Its unfair how people criticise Akpabio, especially, considering the rogues we have in other rich states..Akpabio has done soo much to earn Akwaibomites in diaspora SPECIAL respect and acceptance..he had his visions as a governor and had carefully singled his eyes to the realization of his visions, no doubt. No thanks to many other governors who are yet to envision their plans for their state despite 7years plus of governance.

Am not an akwaibomite, though i presently based in Akwa Ibom. I can strongly tell you am proud of Akwa Ibom..its people and their chief transformer..Akpabio.

Ya da ya da ya da...what's even with this fixation and obsession on Akpabio and Akwa ibom state? Is he the only Governor in the whole of Nigeria now? How about other Governors who have done far less in their various states compared to Akpabio? (and there are quite a good number of them). What you guys don't know or seem to forget is that each Governor of a state has his agenda for the state,and they will focus on that. So,if Akpabio's agenda is mainly to beautify the state,whose cup of tea is it,except for the people who elected him? Have you taken a survey to sample the opinion of the good people of Akwa ibom state who elected him concerning his policies. Abeg,free this man. Infact,i think the country needs a lot of beautifying projects considering the level of lack of modern facilities and infrastructures and untidiness common in the country. The next Governor can focus on other things when he comes in. The main issue is that he should be made to be accountable for his time in office when he leaves.

Nctrice:
Akpabio is just a Typical Akwa IBOM Man... I might not blame him... in as much as the writer is right in his assertion he should not forget get that Akpabio constructed thousands of kilometers of good roads, roads are said to be basic infrastructure, even though I have always been of the opinion that in Nigeria we should have grown past the level where we celebrate roads as a form of development. But one thing I am sure of is that come 19th when super eagles would play their qualifiers on that stadium an average man might end up making some extra cash for himself by venturing in one form of business activity or the other! To me it starts there!

The writer is a female, my favorite columnist, Abimbola Adelakun!

yousee:
OP, the article failed to proffer concrete solutions.

are you blind? You ommited some lines? Did you just want to comment for the sake of it? I guess you just want ti use those words. SHM!

Nctrice:
Akpabio is just a Typical Akwa IBOM Man... I might not blame him... in as much as the writer is right in his assertion he should not forget get that Akpabio constructed thousands of kilometers of good roads, roads are said to be basic infrastructure, even though I have always been of the opinion that in Nigeria we should have grown past the level where we celebrate roads as a form of development. But one thing I am sure of is that come 19th when super eagles would play their qualifiers on that stadium an average man might end up making some extra cash for himself by venturing in one form of business activity or the other! To me it starts there!

I always likes to make it personal. If the money spent here was your family inheritance under Akpabio's care paid care would accept that he used it to build a project, lucky to be used twice every year and that will cost arm and leg to maintain?
I take it that super eagles will be playing there each weak.
Teams like Arsenal their stadium cost almost the but twice the capacity of Akpabio nest work hard to bring more revenue despite making average of £3m per game at the Emirates.

tinkinjow:
Haters will never stop.
So why had Fashola not built a refinery and call on the private sector to manage it?
Envy
Bitterness
Petty jealousy. This is all I see. This write up is ill conceived
No country waits until the last citizen is taken out of poverty until it embark on certain projects.
India, China, Russia, US, etc all started space programmes at a time many ( in some cases hundreds of millions ) of their citizens were ( some still are ) stricken with poverty.
Akwa Ibom deserved more of such stadiums and has gotten one kudos to Akpabio.
Stop the hate.
You will all wake up one day to discover that Akwa ibom had surpassed Lagos. ( maybe this is the problem)
When Fashola refurbished the kiosk at Surulere he was praised to high heavens. No one complained that Lagos is full of the worst slums in Africa.
I am beginning to agree that a section of this country frowns at another section out performing it. Sometimes am really short for words.
Akpabio had built more roads with bridges than you have ever seen a single government did, federal roads inclusive and is not complaining like Fashola
Schools at almost 90% completely renovated. ( u can claim ameachis own are better yet I think his is not up to 20%)
An elibrary
Schools to secondary level are free, waec/neco fees are paid
5 nos hospitals, many more health centres built,
Children under the ages of 6 and adults above 65 get free medicare
A referral hospital probably the best purpose built is to be commissioned soon.
The Tropicana/cineplex, sheraton on course
An airport completed with Maintenance hangar, expansion on course
Ibom power plant completed built tens of kilometres of pipeline from Eket to Ikot Abasi also erected a High tension to evacuate the power from Ikot Abasi to Eket.
Over 85% electrification achieved with 100% promised by 2015
Thousands of minor inter ministerial projects most of which have been advertised in some national dailies with locations and photographs (I guess for pips like this writer) to see.

In the 21st century only e.d.i.o.t.s still think that it's the role of government to build factories or plant plantations.
Russia realised it wasn't the best, China knows it's impossible. If government have built dams please farm. Since there are good roads please you be a transporter.
You can't be more Catholic than the pope. Stop despising the Akwa Ibomites. They are happy.

I read somewhere where someone demanded life touching projects and I asked are these ones death touching.
May the envious perish.

#Word

yousee:
OP, the article failed to proffer concrete solutions.

The solutions are self explanatory. Invest in your people and basic needs, like education/schools, hospitals, higher institutions, skills centers to give his people needed skills to advance in life...all the things he refused to do with the huge resources at his disposal. He's people are not even rich enough to afford to pay silverbird the N1500 tickets for movies so to keep the place open and save face, akpabio subsidizes the ticket by paying silverbird N1400 per ticket.

Governments don't spend taxpayers money on entertainment centers, this is what private investors like silverbird do..

While he was busy building these absurd and worthless projects, the nursing school under his nose was shut down by the FG because of poor infrastructures...

michelz:
Ya da ya da ya da...what's even with this fixation and obsession on Akpabio and Akwa ibom state? Is he the only Governor in the whole of Nigeria now? How about other Governors who have done far less in their various states compared to Akpabio? (and there are quite a good number of them). What you guys don't know or seem to forget is that each Governor of a state has his agenda for the state,and they will focus on that. So,if Akpabio's agenda is mainly to beautify the state,whose cup of tea is it,except for the people who elected him? Have you taken a survey to sample the opinion of the good people of Akwa ibom state who elected him concerning his policies. Abeg,free this man. Infact,i think the country needs a lot of beautifying projects considering the level of lack of modern facilities and infrastructures and untidiness common in the country. The next Governor can focus on other things when he comes in. The main issue is that he should be made to be accountable for his time in office when he leaves.

michelz:
This is the very height of wickedness! How could a governor spend over 2million on a bed when there are people clamouring for just a bag of rice within the state because of poverty....And yet,some dofos have the audacity to defend him while criticizing the FG in one breath! Tufiakwa!

Were you not the same hypocrite blabbing about another governor's spending?

Please keep your hypocritical mouth quiet..