- …urges them to use Abuja connection to develop Eniong Abatim instead
The pioneer Director-General of Greater Calabar City Development Authority, Cross River State and Chairman Odukpani Leadership Academy, Chief (Hon.) Kingsley lta Asanye Ukpe lkpeme, has called on political gladiators of Eniong Abatim Community to use their acclaimed connections to the Presidential Villa and Abuja in dragging development home to Eniong Abatim Community, in order to better the lots of Abatims and not to create unnecessary rivalry and distraction of the Otu-led Administration.
Ikpeme, made this assertion in the wake of widespread rumours, alleging the building up of opposition against the state government initiated by Eniong political bigwigs, and plans to file an Eniong Abatim son to contest against Sen. Bassey Edet Otu come 2027 Governorship election.
He opined that the next election is still far and frowns at supposed leaders who plan only for elections.
Ikpeme noted that a regular politician plans for the next election but a statesman prepares for the next generation. He urged “for the spirit of statesmanship and true leadership to dwell within our leaders to the people whose mandate they are entrusted and not just selfish benefits.”
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Ikpeme decried the spate of underdevelopment in Eniong Abatim Community despite the personalities from the clime, saying that “the level of underdevelopment has led to rural-urban migration and indigenes resorting to the community ceremonially; during burials and elections where they hardly spend a night nor establish any investment.”
“Eniong Abatim (Efik Eburutu) is an ancient community in the Eburutu bloc of North-western Calabar, Odukpani LGA of Southern Cross River State with a rich history of early contacts with the whites – among them, the popular business mogul, John Holts, Mary Slessor, who were received and treated to a tea party by an Eniong village head.
“Eniong has produced not just men and women that have impacted Cross River State and Nigeria but the world at large, but the inhabitants are languishing in gross underdevelopment and lack basic amenities of the 21st-century modern life. In fact, Eniong Abatim Community is completely cut off from Cross River State,” he said.
Ikpeme charged political leaders of Eniong Abatim extraction to, as a matter of urgency come together, “rather than waste time planning to wrestle power from Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu come 2027 – they should rather channel their connections to Aso Rock and the red chamber to the building of a bridge to link Eniong Abatim Community to other communities in Cross State because at the moment Eniong is accessed through our sister state of Akwa Ibom State.”
He also advised for the national and international contacts to be converted to securing jobs for the teeming number of Eniong Abatim youth, restoring electricity to Asang Eniong Abatim, which has been in blackout for 11 months and still counting.
The pioneer Cross River State representative in the Nigerian Youth Parliament (Abuja), opined that primary healthcare is the basic right of every citizen in the 21st century but this has eluded the good people of Eniong Abatim, as they travel far to Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State to access medicals.
He also lamented the dilapidated primary and secondary schools in the area and the lack of basic learning facilities which have greatly affected the children and youth negatively.
Chief Ikpeme sues for continuous prayers for the Governor of the State and those in Authority. He urged all Abatims to resist any temptation of being lured to opposition against the Sen Prince Otu-led Administration, “as those agitating for replacement of the head of the leopard house had opportunities in successive administrations in the state but never lobbied for the bridge construction nor dug a borehole, even to provide a pontoon boat for the creek of Eniong Abatim Community but serving their selfish interest.”