When Visionary Leadership Matters: The Akwa Ibom Example

By Ekemini James

Vision in this piece refers to the capacity to see beyond ones natural eyes; it is a composite picture of purpose. Invariably, it serves as the signpost, pointing the way for all who need to understand where a leader is and where he is going. Indeed, it has the compelling ingredients that serves to inspire, motivate and engage people offering leverage in the change process, from one level to the other.

To be gleaned from thus is that leadership success always starts with vision. For instance, John Kennedy famously dreamt of putting a man on the moon. Eleanor Rossevelt envisioned a world of equal opportunities for women and minorities. Wendy loop was still a college student when she dreamed of making Americans schools better by creating a cadre of young, enthusiastic teachers.

Visionary leaders have the ability to see what no one else sees. They find potential and opportunity in unfavourable times to prove they see what is not there, or what is not there yet. To be more precised, they see possibilities where others saw impossibilities.

Everyone in the world may see challenges and how the world is collapsing because of these challenges. But what visionary leaders see are potentials to eradicate these challenges, and how to lead the masses into getting this done without excuses. With Governor Udom Emmanuel, this is the case of Akwa Ibom State.

Governor Udom Emmanuel no doubts has exhibited all these trappings of visionary leadership in the last five years of his administration, understanding the fact that compelling vision can truly change the world.

The achievements so far recorded by the Governor have demonstrated his vision and delivered a holistic transformation of all sectors of our state, ranging from the Dakkada philosophy, enduring peace and unity, enthronement of God and godliness, strategic partnerships, aggressive Industralisation, uncommon agricultural revolution, creation of jobs, improved healthcare, provision of sustainable infrastructure and power revolution, to mention a few.

Interestingly, his great efforts and passion for leadership have not only ranked him as a cosmopolitan leader of no mean repute, but as a true and genuine governor of our time, strongly committed to building Akwa Ibom of our dreams.

Governor Udom is among Nigerian leaders that toe the line of visionary leadership in a practical approach that needs to be emulated by his peers. In recent times, he has increased the tempo of economic and human development in a manner that is difficult to separate from the outcome of visionary leadership.

Through his administrative restructuring and superlative sense of leadership, our State is not just among the best, it has become the benchmark for good governance and quality infrastructure.

Governor Emmanuel raised the stake in visionary leadership when he inaugurated his brainchild project - Akwa Ibom Enterprise and Employment Scheme (AKEES), on assumption of office as his first plausible economic empowerment scheme. The governor initiated the scheme to enhance the economic status of his people, especially the youths in view of getting them off the street and into work.

In the last five years, he has through his pet project, re-awakened the spirit of enterprise which is manifested variously through the formation of more than 85 SMEs. He has deployed the scarcest resources at his disposal to pioneer the agricultural and industrial revolutions witnessed in the state.

Over the weekend, during a live interactive session, Governor Emmanuel reiterated his commitment in agricultural revolution. According to him, investment in agriculture was one of his post covid-19 economic recovery strategies. Adding that, AKEES has cultivated over seven hectares of tomato which he will soon inspect and that his target is 100 hectares.

With this, Akwa Ibom State will soon become the agricultural hub of the Nation where youths will be farming with swag-thereby reducing redundancy and joblessness across the 31 LGAs. This could only be made possible from a Governor that has vision beyond politics.

In addition, AKEES is a well-tested solution to youths idleness and a veritable source of engagement and wealth creation. The Udom-led administration through the Scheme has been assiduous in ensuring that Akwa Ibom people acquire the requisite training, to equip them for opportunities in a competitive world.

For instance, in the ongoing 7 hectares tomato farm in Uruan, the Scheme Coordinator, Elder Ufot Ebong, in partnership with Ibom Food Bank Initiative is training more youths on tomato farming. The training which is fully sponsored by the State government is designed to train prospective tomato farmers in the practical methods of commercially farming tomatoes.

A new source of revenue have been developed. Akwa Ibom is the first state to owned, manage and operate a commercial airline, Ibom Air which is a critical aviation development that the economy requires to expand and sustain its future growth capacity.

With Governor Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom people should not expect anything less.