AKWA IBOM AND THE AGONY OF TOMFOOLERY

In the era when the ‘uncommon transformer’ held sway as the governor--or executive governor as was his decreed preference--of Akwa Ibom, there was a buzz around the country about how he had transformed the state to an Eldorado. The overwhelming response in private discussions and to my articles critical of the Squandermania that defined the era was usually that of consternation. I still remember the questions often asked: ‘Edo, what has Akpabio done to you?’ ‘How can you be the only one who doesn’t appreciate his good works?’ etc.

Perhaps because of his reputation as a ‘generous’ man, some more cynical people thought I was looking for ‘settlement’ and in fact, a mutual friend offered to take me to meet Akpabio so that, in his words,

TOPEDO – THE NATURAL BORN BUILDER AT 50!

“What do you think you are doing? Don’t tell me you are an Abacha supporter!” “What do you mean? How can you call me an Abacha supporter?’ “But you are wearing an Abacha lapel badge!’ “Oh this? Come on, it doesn’t mean anything. Everybody in Abuja is wearing Abacha badges! “You are not everybody! You are better than that! In order to move on, especially as we had not seen physically for some months, Topedo, at the receiving end of my highly charged and judgmental ‘hello’ retorted - ‘no vex’, and we went on to chat about other things. As we departed that occasion, I noticed that the badge had disappeared! From time to time over the years, Topedo has reminded me of that incident, and how easily, one can get carried away in the business world and how he appreciates the fact that I made a fuss about it. I have opened this tribute to my friend of over three decades with a recollection, which in my view, epitomizes his tremendous sense of self-respect and the courage to admit mistakes and change direction to maintain his true essence.