…PLEASE LET RT. HON. ANIEKAN UKO BE.
BY TOROBONG EKPO
Since he became the first Speaker of the Sixth assembly, I have read a whole lot of unnecessary write-up about Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko. Barely, two days after his inauguration, as the number three citizen of Akwa Ibom State, he was said to be blowing siren wantonly on the streets of Uyo, as if that wasn’t enough, his Chief Press Secretary, Comrade Mbosowo Essien, was accused of being incompetent. What a baptism!

Then, many people indicted some lawmakers as being the sponsors of the ‘siren’ propaganda, especially, as the lead advocate of the message was said to be closer to some lawmakers in the Hallow Chamber. As a person, I didn’t want to point accusing finger on any MP, simply because, some aides may go contrary to the advice of their bosses just to please the general public.

The ‘media’ attack on Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko was so severe in such a manner that, some people began to wonder, if it was ordinarily, or some spiritual forces were behind. However, the more the blackmail, the stronger Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko became in his legislative functions.

In the Nigerian Context, blowing of siren is reserved for some government officials, of which, the Speaker of the state assemblies, is opportune to be part and parcel. It was Uko’s constitutional right to blow siren, Speakers before him, did that, Speakers after him, will also do the same thing.

However, some elements in the society won’t allow the lad to have peace. They said all manners of insulting words on that young man. One of the childish blackmail was when someone claimed that, Uko blew siren to Nung Udoe just to buy Akara and bread. The day I read that piece, was when I discovered that, the purported blackmail on the former speaker was either a transferred aggression or a sign of end time.

I expected them to also point accusing finger on men of Fire service, who siren is sometimes capable of causing miscarriage on a pregnant woman. The former speaker elevation was a shocker to everyone both in and outside the chamber. He was the least person expected to be chosen, yet he ended up becoming the 10th Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and the First Speaker of the sixth assembly. No one can deny that fact, not even the propagandists and commotion manufacturers.

I could recall, during the wanton abuse on the 10th Speaker, I wrote an article entitled, “Before the speaker develops thick skin”, I had perceived those abuses as a “Notice me” tactics. A second look at those ploys shows that, it was centered on social media, reasons is that, Uko, being a digital parliamentarian doesn’t joke with new media. Thus, it was the direct way of ‘tagging’ the Ibesikpo guy so that, he can see their blackmail prowess.

The major problem the devil has with God is the former’s inability to kneel down and worship the omnipotent, omnipresence and omniscience. The devil knows God ability is greater than his, yet, he is bent of causing commotion. In the same vein, the convener of this Siren message knew the ability of Uko to transform the Chamber from analogue to digital as was seen during his six months stay, hence, tried to destabilize and try to make him lose focus.

Instead of losing focus, he injected flavor into parliamentary business, by ensuring that, the Motion on Abuse of walls of Public School by Indomie Company, sponsored by Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke, who is now the speaker, was passed into law. He went further to ensure that, the Nuclear Plant which would have claimed lives and properties in Itu was rejected by the assembly, through the motion moved by the Deputy Chief Whip, OUR OWN Indomitable. It was during his stay that, the erosion menace in Esit Eket sponsored by a five star parliamentarian Rt. Hon. Usoroh Akpanusoh was weighed into.

He did so many things Siren critics were unable to carpet.

Through the support of ranking members such as Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke, Rt. Hon. Ime Okon and other parliamentarians, the former speaker was edge over his contemporaries in other states of the Federation, a feat which made Forum of Legislators to appoint him as an Executive member of a certain committee. We are witness to a fifth assembly, where Pension bill nearly caused civil war in this state, yet, Uko made a chamber that was peoples’ oriented…Unfortunately, his critics didn’t observe these things.

While trying to examine the rationale behind the serial and consistence attack the first Speaker of the Sixth assembly, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko, has been subjected to by these writers, I realized that, the grace upon his head was the reason for the wanton attack. Satan cannot harass in isolation, the devil cannot molest someone whose destiny is blurred; he attacks those with good destiny.

For a Fourth child to serve as the MAIN man of the family, I think, it is an evidence of oil upon the head of Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko. It is not Uko’s fault that he is edge above his contemporaries, it is just an unmerited grace and favour that has overtaken him, due to his obedience to the scripture.

For a number three man to still be the Organist in his church, I think, it is a sign of obedience to God. Like David, he knew what triggers the almighty God to do the needful; this has always been the attitude of ever smiling 10th Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

It is quite unfortunate that, we tend to forget that, the art of uplifting and demoting is the sole responsibility of God almighty. The year 2015 ought to have taught us some life impacting lessons. Who would have believed that, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel will come from no way and become the governor of the state? What of Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko? Who would have believed that, he will emerge as the Speaker of the sixth assembly? These are things man can never make.

Months after the court of appeal had nullified the election of the former speaker, it is quite unfortunate that, the erstwhile speaker is still being abuse by Akwa Ibomites. This time, it is between him and his brother, who defected to APC and other uncalled for issues, which I don’t want to delve into here. Sometime, I tend to wonder when and how we imbibe the culture of abusing our elders, even when we don’t know who will be our destiny helper.

Before I proceed, it will be out of place to start comparing the leadership strides of Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko and that of the present speaker, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke. The former became speaker when the state was undergoing distraction as a result of court cases. Also, Luke’s leadership is damn too early to judge. It is our believe that, he will land well, but let us not compare and contrast yet, until he stays for the six months duration, the former speaker lasted.

Already the incumbent Speaker, Hon. Luke has given us the power to constructively criticize his leadership, thus, as far as the sixth assembly is concern, I will be in the fore-burner of analyzing the strength of each member in accordance with the advice of Mr. Speaker.

Tomorrow is such a time that, social media can never predict. You never can tell who God will use to speak on your behalf, whether it will be a man you just abused or the one you never taught will grow again. Honestly, each time I see persistence abuse on a revered Christian like Elder Aniekan Uko, I wonder where we are heading.

Folks, I am not saying we shouldn’t criticize Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko, however, while doing that, we shouldn’t forget that, the oil on his head is filled with unmerited grace. For someone who never struggled for the position of the speaker to have been, despite the House Rules, then, it is not ordinarily. Rather than dismissing his return to the assembly with a wave of hand, we should rather wait and see, if it is possible for God to forget His own.

Continuous attack on Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko, will make him more popular and if such popularity persists, he may be urged to vie for Governorship seat in 2023. Because even the blind can observe that, despite the dwindling economy, Uko was able to perform his legislative functions via passage of several bills, motions and matters of urgent public important. In his representative function, he was able to provide vehicles, appoint more than sixty aides, renovate assembly complex and had in mind of changing the poor state of media in the assembly, before his sack, from the Court of Appeal.

He donated immensely to the building project of Nigeria Union of Journalists, put smiles on the faces of people, within and outside his constituency among other benevolence.

He may not have time to enlist all these, simply because he is not boastful. He believes in service and reporting success.

Let us allow this young man to concentrate and transform the Ibesikpo constituency to an enviable height.

Let us allow this young man to concentrate and transform the Ibesikpo constituency to an enviable height.