UDOM EMMANUEL: PLS. CALL YOUR MEDIA ASSASSINS TO ORDER.
BY TOROBONG EKPO.
One of the styling advantages, the ex-Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Dr. Godswill Akpabio had was his right sense of choosing professionals to man his media team.

Could you imagine one governor, parading the likes of Chief Usoroh Usoroh, Pastor Anietie Ukpe, Comrade Anietie Ekong, Mr. Ita Benedict, Mr. Power Titus, Mr. Tony Saviour, Mr. Joe Iniodu among others, as his media aides.

Tested and proven professionals, who know the nitty-gritty of journalism profession. Some have worked in renowned National tabloids; Tony Savior for instance was working for NTA National before his appointment. They were highly educated and the brought their wealth of experience to bear in the discharge of their duties.

No matter how Akpabio tried to hate the Local Media, he can never chide his media aides, because these men and women did their best to proffer effective image laundering to him. Despite the high rate of kidnapping in those days, Akpabio bagged awards from reputable media organizations, within and outside the shores of this country, courtesy of his media managers.

Today, the reverse is the case, aside from the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ekerete Udoh, and Mr. Essien Ndueso, I doubt if any of the media aides to Udom Emmanuel knows the nitty-gritty of Journalism practice talk less of owning a certificate in Mass Communication. If they have, I wonder why, Patrick Reuben, a Fine Artist, should nervously insult his father cum elder, Otuekong Sunny Jackson, for refuting a media report allegedly made by Udom Gabriel Emmanuel media team. I doubt, if any of the Akpabio media aides could cope with the lawless Journalism practiced by these new crops of Udom Emmanuel media beggars.

This is the same media assassins, who indicted Obongawan Imo Isemin of congratulated Udom, when the former first lady wasn’t in town talk less of hailing the governor. When I read that, Obongawan Imo Isemin congratulated Udom, I was wondering the basis. Whether the commendation was for his controversial party membership or for the death of those guys, in Iboko Street, Mbiabong, Uruan, Ikono, Ibiono, Itu to mention only few.

Each time I see the remnant of these insults on our elders, I am beginning to think that, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel may be behind the scene, because he won’t tell me that, he is not aware of the handiwork of his aides.

Earlier this week, Obong Nsima Ekere and Obong Umana Okon Umana, were blackmailed by a newspaper said to be owned by Essien Ndueso, his Personal Assistant of Media. Yesterday, Patrick Reuben dedicated a full page article just to rubbish a man, who is far older and richer than his biological father, mother and siblings.

Udom Emmanuel should know that, someday, the biological children of political stakeholders, he is allegedly sponsoring to rubbish their images, may not take it kindly, with the doers of those crimes. Already, Judiciary has shown Nigerians that, it is of no use seeking redress in court, so we should trade with caution.

Even the media team of the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and that of the Deputy Governor are far more organized than that of UGE. There is no doubt that, Mr. Kufre Okon, Mr. Ekikere Umoh of deputy governor office can ever venture into such confusion prone article. When some lads insulted Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke, the media aides trade with caution, until the case died a natural dead. If possible, Udom Emmanuel should bar his media aides from drinking alcohol, during working hours, because, the intoxication is gradually affecting his aides, especially Patrick Reuben. These days, Politics Today, has gone into oblivion, after staying for a while without a good salary capable of taking care of his ‘urgent’ needs. Please this urgent needs has nothing to do with cannabis.

Politics today, is said to be the very first aide, who took character assassination as a hobby, today, he has realized that, even his appointment letter was not easy to come by, talk less of salary. UGE is just using these boys, as 10/11 spanner, similar to the manner bankers’ play with their debtors.

Court cases have come and gone, it is time for Udom Emmanuel to either seek the services of professionals into his media team, or ensure that, he proof read any write-up that proceed from the jotters of his media boys and girls.

The governor deserves more than what his media sycophants are turning him into. How can a man who wants a second term, shouldn’t try to broker peace with at least his Ibibio brothers and sisters? Doesn’t he know that, when the chips are down, Ati Annang will take its stand, Akpakip Oro will do same, while Akwa Esop Ibibio and Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio will take a crucial decision.

As far as Akwa Ibom State politics is concern, Sunny Jackson, is not a pull over as Patrick Reuben has claimed in his write-up. I expected to see the governor, familiarizing with everyone, his second term, will be tougher than first term, in case it has never come to his knowledge.

Shortly, after court case in 2007, Akpabio embraced all and sundry, including Dr. Udoma Bob Ekarika, who he paid visit in his Ewet Housing residence. Udom should emulate such gesture and stop drawing battle lines with people. I am a journalist, thus, I know that, sooner or later, these his media aides will be the same people who will expose government information, with the hope of collecting huge cash for rejoinder.

Prior to the Supreme Court ruling, it is said that, Uwemedimoh Umanah, his media aide was in the front burner of telling people how some aides’are earning 1.13 Million Naira per annum, which is equal to 85 thousand naira per month (According to him). To me, such loquaciousness, by Uwem Umanah was unnecessary; he should understand that, there are some government documents which are tagged, “Secret”.

If Akwa Ibom State email account was hacked and appointment lavishly given to some of these media aides, Udom Emmanuel, should know that, nothing in his government is secret. The rate information about government was exposed during the court case should have made the governor, to know that, he is on a voyage. He needs to sail on, but be careful not to be over-boarded.

Whoever is the cause of that uncalled for insult on our elders should put a halt and stop. That some people are criticizing the governor unnecessarily shouldn’t preempt character assassination, especially from Udom Emmanuel aides. Since from biblical days, leaders are always abuse that is not a reason, to abuse the abusers as it will make no meaning.


There are better ways to do this media work. For instance, all the branding, news reporting, writing, articles on Obong Bassey Albert, between the era of 2007 to 2015, were done by Mr. Ita Benedict, yet his byline was not attached to any of those script, and OBA never had any bad media report. Even when he surrendered without the knowledge of his supporters, Ita Benedict, made it as a point of duty to invade media house on midnight, just to give his friend and brother, a lee way.

My greatest worries is that, despite being a personal assistant on media to Udom, Patrick Reuben, a father of four, is still jumping from one keke to another, lamenting how Udom has not been able to provide vehicles to his aides. Udom should learn to give, because, it appears, his stinginess is the reason, why his aides are trying to please him, so as to be able to get government house auction vehicles.

If not for a purported re-run, he wouldn’t have doled out 1.5 million naira to each local government areas of the state. If not for court case, he wouldn’t have dash bags of rice to some youths in the state during yuletide season. He is trying to mar the integrity of Banking profession, so that, innocent people will think that, bankers are always stingy.

No! OBA was a banker, he wasn’t stingy. We all know that, a stingy man is an “Economist”, but that shouldn’t make our youths to bag curses unnecessarily.

After politics, we will all come back to our place of birth. Obong Sunny Jackson is a chieftain in Etinan. Patrick Reuben, is a mere native of Etinan, just like I am also from the third largest village in Etinan…Let play this politics with sense, because after the reggae, we will all play the blues.