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,