AKISAN: Pilgrimage to nowhere

By Iniubong James

It was a short but terse statement from the Akwa Ibom State Government that signalled her pullout from, as the statement put it, "... all activities organized by Akwa Ibom State Association of Nigeria, AKISAN, in United States of America till further notice.

My problem is with that last caveat," till further notice " my take was, and remains, why till further notice? Why not a total pull out from the meaningless annual jamboree, that has become a sort of pilgrimage to nowhere called AKISAN?

What if I may ask is the benefit visibly derives from the AKISAN travels in the last ten years?

We know of the religious pilgrimages by Muslims and Christians to Mecca, Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem in Israel respectively. Ww even know of tourism to the Carribeans or Asia, and why governments send delegations to other nations for these pilgrimages. But what is the real gain for the AKISAN annual relocation of state apparatus and Its attendant capital flight for?

This puzzle becomes more worrisome against the background that is sensible State government's have withdrawn from sponsorship of pilgrimage to any Holy lands.

The Kaduna State Government led the pack, when she announced soon after assumption of office in 2015 , that it has saved N221 after the stoppage of sponsorship of pilgrimage in the state

In a statement by the media aide to Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i, Mr Samuel Aruwan, on Saturday in Kaduna, while announcing the appointment of Emir of Birnin Gwari, Alhaji Zubairu Jibril, as the 2015 Amirul-Hajj for the state, the statement explained that government’s decision to stop sponsoring people for pilgrimages has saved the state more than N221.8 million.. The he statement however said the government would send 116 officials and guides that would ensure smooth Hajj operations for the 5,682 pilgrims from the state.

Governor Rufai raised concerns that, with the economic recession, it will amount to being pound foolish for government to spend so much to fund what is the private religious obligations of adherents. Lagos and Niger states have since followed suit with several states in the South East and South South that have also backed out of bankrolling pilgrimages. The aargument has always been that, AKISAN is made up of citizens and they should be made to feel the government of their home state. Nobody disputes that. It has also been argued that, AKISAN accounts for over 1 billion naira in amounts repatriated to the state annually and I dare say: go tell that to the marines.

The whole truth is that, AKISAN has become an instrument of blackmail and extortion in the hands of a few of its leaders to plunder their home state. There are many of them there who have never set foot on African soil for decades, not to talk of Nigeria or Akwa Ibom State in particular. All tthe do is use the power of social media to smear, castigate, blackmail political leaders back home for a fee and only relent once their greedy beak is settled. What monies do they repatriate, when they annually send requests for assistance to the state government to help them fund the so called AKISAN convention? Will AKISAN deny the hefty donations she lures the Akwa Ibom State Government to part with every year at those organized scams called convention? Is the fight for government patronage not the reason AKISAN has derailed from their set goals and objectives? Is it because Governor Udom Emmanuel has cut down their greedy demands for allocation for the convention and their excessive pressure for release of funds that they connived with the desperate Niger Delta Development Commission Manager is Obong Nsima Ekere to demean the exalted office of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State? If aAKISAN thinks that, they have hit the bulls eye with this shenanigans, they have failed woefully. Their conspiracy with Nsima Ekere whose known desperation to become governor by all means possible will not help the failed politician, who is loathed at home for his evil ways. His ambition is dead on arrival. Ekere should know AKISAN will not vote in 2019. I ccommend Governor Udom Emmanuel for standing firm and not hearkening to the blackmail of AKISAN and her cohorts in this naked dance to nowhere. Enough iis enough. That AKISAN convention is a jamboree. I recommend to the leadership of AKISAN, the wisdom of Ikpafak Thompson Essien'regrets, when he wrote :"I have written about this before, now it has been confirmed, everywhere Nsima Ekere enters, trouble must ferment. Now he has taken his wahala to AKISAN. If the incident is not handled properly, this incident will be the beginning of the end of AKISAN as we know it."AKISAN sshould be told in clear terms that the made the wrong

Bet this time. Nsima Ekere is a political leper, anything he comes in contact with will contract the leprosy. AKISAN should go to the 'river Jordan' wash and purge herself to become clean.

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