THE STADIUM OF UNCOMMON SENSE

Ndiya Comprehensive Secondary School (more pics within)

I have had cause to intervene in the recent past on matters affecting my dear state of Akwa Ibom. These interventions have had as the main thrust, the squandering of our common wealth and the evident lack of appreciation of the true essence of governance. Incrementally, actions subsequent to my interventions have been clearly illustrative of the fact that I did not even fully appreciate the extent of the problem. I suspect I have not gotten there yet, but now realize that - 'they clearly do not get it!' Governor Akpabio and his teeming fans have coined the term 'Akpabioism' to represent his governance philosophy. They have also coined the term 'uncommon tranformation' to describe the 'uncommon' infrastructural development that has resulted from Akpabioism. So perhaps Akpabioism stands for a governance style which produces uncommon infrastructural transformation.

I had in an earlier piece described Akpabioism as a metaphor for delirious leadership. I think it is worse than that! Akpabioism in my new perspective is rather a metaphor for mismanagement with impunity. Why did it take the building of a stadium in Uyo to bring me to this realization? Afterall the construction of a stadium in a soccer loving city cannot be misgovernance, without more. So let me now explain the 'more'.

In rationalizing the sense or otherwise in building the stadium, one ought to arm himself with the facts relevant to coming to a fair determination of the cost/benefit analysis. Facts like the cost of the stadium, the financial health of the state, opportunity costs, sustainability of the stadium and so on. Unfortunately, the cost of the stadium is not only a state secret it would appear to be the governor's private secret. All my search and personal contacts have only provided speculative figures. Clearly the peoples money should not be spent by its government in a secret manner and if spent without the transparent process of appropriation, competitive tendering and executive council approval enshrined in our National constitution and other laws, it translates to an act of criminal illegality. The mere fact that people of Akwa Ibom have not been told the cost of their new modern stadium is evidence of bad governance, the actual fact that they will not be told even if they cared to know is evidence of mindless impunity and misgovernance at its worst.

So we are left with no option but to dig in the fertile ground of propaganda, doctored leaks, regime reputation guesstimates. In that combustible mix, the figures have ranged from 40 to 140 billion Naira. The figure of $96million provided in the stadium website should and appears to have been discarded by all. If the Uyo stadium is modelled after the Allianz Arena in Munich Germany, that was constructed locally by another German company for about $425million, it is improbable that Julius Berger will construct the same stadium albeit half the capacity for $96million! My own guess will be a figure of about $700million or 120 billion Naira! Just to put this figure in perspective, Fred Swanniker the Ghanaian founder of African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg is spearheading an initiative that will build five modern, world class 10,000 students capacity universities in Africa at a cost of $100million each.

The New Akwa Ibom Stadium

The State House, Akwa Ibom

Let us leave the cost of the stadium for now and turn to the elaborate launch, which unofficial sources have put the cost at 8 billion naira. I listened to Governor Akpabio on Akwa Ibom television surrounded by 'Men of God' regale the congregation about the uncommon feat of hosting three African presidents. He elaborated on the challenge of advance teams and catering to traveling parties of hundreds per president! In a case of supreme irony, what he regards as uncommon acomplishments, will actually from a good governance perspective, amount to foolishness. How he does not get this is tragic for us Akwa Ibomites! How are the people of Akwa Ibom enriched by squandering N8billion Naira on an opening ceremony of a stadium? Money that can build 2000 quality social housing units at N4million each and given away free to indigenes since we are so rich!

As in the case with personal finances, prudence and common sense must always be applied and there must always be a distinction between needs and wants. You do not move to wants without first satisfying your needs. And what will make sense, will be to only embark on wasteful spending when adequate provisions have been made for needs. It is one thing to boast about Akwa Ibom having the most modern stadium in the world, or the governor's conference room being the most modern in Africa or being the richest and most powerful governor in the world. It is another thing to have the best paid and most motivated teachers in Nigeria, to have the best schools in Nigeria, to have the best functional hospitals in Nigeria, to have the best football clubs in Africa and the happiest pensioners to name a few. On average, Akwa Ibom's share of Federally allocated revenue is five times that of the average state and we are acknowledged as the richest state in Nigeria. The wealth should translate to the achievement of the second set of accomplishments. Only upon the attainment of the second set of accomplishments should we waste any resouces on the first set of boastful and meaningless accomplishments. Working towards attaing the meaningful accomplishments is the duty and function of good governance whilst the other is the preserve of the disconnected. If not for disconnection how can our Governor expect that Akwa Ibom will be crawling with sports stars simply because we have the best stadium in Nigeria! Those who are connected, build sporting academies and take sports to the grassroots by building sustainable community facilities and can then expect the production of sporting stars. Countries like UAE, with 'too much' money, build 'modern' stadia for sports stars around the world to come and entertain their people and also contribute to tourism and the economy. Their people are happy to sit around and watch these stars because unlike my people they do not have to do so on an empty stomach, do not have to trek back home and home you can be sure will not be a thatched mud house! Neither will the home be serviced by just one lantern to be shared by all including the students who need to study. Education is free for the citizens and good teachers have been attracted from all over the world including Nigera to teach in these schools. The schools are well equipped and not made up of dillapidated unplastered buildings with leaking roofs, as is the case with Ndiya Comprehensive Secondary School, my community school!

If my dear Governor thinks that governance is about using the states resources to fete foreign and local dignitaries and build a wonderful stadium,  then he must be the most grandiose governor in the world and no wonder he resides in the best state government house in the democratic world! He just doesn't get it!

Pictures taken on Friday 14^th November 2014 of Ndiya Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikono Local Government, Akwa Ibom State

Edo Ukpong, 

Legal Practitioner.