The President General, EPU, Dr. Samuel Udonsak, (right) with former Governor Udom Emmanuel.
By Anietie Akpan
The President General of Eket People’s Union (EPU), Dr. Samuel Udonsak, has said that former Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration gave Akwa Ibom its first sense of identity.
He such identity came through the creation of a state anthem, State logo and a comprehensive map that resolved age-long territorial agitations.
Speaking during a media interview, Dr. Udonsak likened Emmanuel’s stewardship to an elephant too vast to grasp from one vantage point.
However, he emphasized three landmark contributions: the state anthem, flag and logo as well as the official state map, which he said, “cemented a shared sense of patriotism and restored territorial dignity.”
“Nobody ever thought of a state anthem or even a proper map. It took Udom Emmanuel to give Akwa Ibom a true identity.
“Even I, who once contested to be Governor, never thought about it. But today, when I hear that anthem or look at that map, or see our flag, I know we have something to defend,” Dr. Udonsak remarked.
He recounted the age-long agitation by Eket and other affected communities over mutilated records in the 1990 state creation document, which altered local government names and capitals.
According to him, former Governor Emmanuel approached the issue with thoroughness and impartiality, leading to the production of a landmark state map that aligned with historical facts, court judgments, and coordinate-based realities.
“That map is not just a document; it’s a shield. It defends our lands, our rights, and our history. Former Governor Udom Emmanuel will remain a hero not just to the people of Eket, but to the Ibibio nation,” he declared.
Eket Stadium.
On the ongoing debate around state creation, particularly the agitation for an Obolo State, Dr. Udonsak issued a strong warning against what he described as land annexation masked as state creation.
He expressed empathy for the Oron people’s aspiration but condemned any move to use Ibibio lands especially those in Eket, Onna, Mkpat Enin, Ikot Abasi, and Esit Eket as a foundation for the proposed state.
“I am not against state creation. But I strongly oppose the creation of states on another people’s land. It’s heartless and dangerous. People have died because of this boundary tension. We won’t support any land grab disguised as statehood,” he stated.
He referenced historical grievances dating back to the 1936 intelligence report, alleging long-standing efforts to force a territorial connection between Oron and Ibeno through disputed corridors. According to him, the result has been decades of intimidation, insecurity, and bloodshed.
Regarding the lingering Map Law court case, Dr. Udonsak revealed that while the matter has now moved to the Appeal Court, the community has lost confidence in the trial judge due to prior biases.
He however assured that the Eket people would defeat their opponents “with facts, because facts are sacred.”
He strongly rejected the narrative that Eket’s development ended in 2015 and resumed only in 2023, saying such a claim is “not the perception of the Eket man.”
“Look at the roads, the boulevards, the Eket stadium, the General Esuene statue, it was Udom who made all of that happen.”
He lauded Udom Emmanuel’s industrialization drive, noting that the economic logic behind investments like the syringe factory and coconut refinery. According to him, criticism should be directed at the management teams that failed to sustain the projects rather than the man who initiated them.
Udonsak wished the former governor well and commended his energy, vision, and lasting contributions to Akwa Ibom State saying, “he had a global concept. He came from an investment background. If the industries are not functioning, maybe the problem lies elsewhere. Don’t crucify a man for trying”.
