DEVELOP YOURSELF BEFORE POLITICS, SENATOR IBOK ESSIEN TELLS YOUTHS
The Chairman, Board of Governors of Ritman University, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien has admonished youths not to rush into politics but take time to develop themselves in a profession before delving into politics.
The senator who spoke to Quest Inspirational Magazine in his office at Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene, penultimate week admonished youths to first build successful career, submiting that politics is not a career but a platform to serve the people. Consequently, he advised that youths struggling for political power should first establish themselves in a profession, build capacity and character for leadership.
His words: “What I would advise the young people is that they should develop themselves first. Let them develop their professions, develop their intellect before engaging in politics, because if you don’t develop yourself and have a solid foundation, and you go into politics, you’ll be like trees planted on the sandy soil, and when the sun comes, it will wither away.”
Senator Ibok Essien who is also the political leader of Ikot Ekpene senatorial district, who recently moved to the ruling APC, stressed that establishing oneself in a career before joining politics places one on a position of advantage in terms of character, trust and capacity to deliver service to the people.
Admonishing further, Ibok Essien, a former national chairman of Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF), acknowledged that, although politics was an all-comers affair, it requires maturity and years of exposure both in the private and public sectors for one to understand the dynamics of politics and effective service delivery to the people, as politics is not an avenue to amass wealth but offer service.
Citing an example in the current governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, who spent years in private business to develop himself before being called into public service as a governor, he emphasized that politics is a call and not a business venture.“For Pastor Umo Eno, politics is a call to duty, it’s not for him to come and start making money, because he already made money in his private business.”
Driving home his point, the respected statesman said: “I joined politics after I developed myself to become the Ritman Group chairman that’s well-known today. I am a fellow in my profession of several years before I went into politics. So, politics for me was to give service and that was why I was able to challenge the authorities to ensure that we get the onshore, offshore oil dichotomy abrogated. I stood on a very firm ground, that nothing would entice me, all the things that they were doing to entice me did not entice me because I’ve seen it all. But if you have not seen it all, those small pegs would make you sell your mother, will make you sell your people. So, we stood firm, the then former Governor, His Excellency Obong (Arc). Victor Attach had built himself to the level before he became the governor. So, these are the reasons I advise young people: don’t rush into politics, develop yourself, build profession that people recognize you with; let the people know you as an accomplished accountant, engineer, or a top-notch businessman, and then you can go into politics as a call to duty, not as a business.
Assessing the administration of Pastor Umo Eno, the Ritman boss said: “We are very blessed to have the present Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, at a time like this, Akwa Ibom is really, really blessed, He is a man of vision, He’s a man who is passionate about what he’s doing and he as compassion for the people.”
“So, for him to be a Governor at this time, is why you can have the kind of peace we are enjoying in Akwa Ibom State. Everywhere is peaceful, you can see love; political parties that were fighting before are all coming together, brothers and sisters that were not greeting one another, now coming together as a family.”
Justifying his assertion, he recalled his relationship with previous governments in the state and passed a verdict on Pastor Umo Eno administration as the best so far. “I’ve been here in Akwa Ibom State for almost all my life, and I’ve worked with all the governments in Akwa Ibom State since the creation of the state, I can tell you that this is the best, and it’s just in two years.”
He is of the opinion that Akwa Ibom State under the present administration will become an epicentre of attraction in Nigeria. “So, I believe that in the next six years of his administration, Akwa Ibom will be a place of destination, it will be the Gilgal of Nigeria. Everybody will be coming to Akwa Ibom for one thing or the other. I congratulate him for the kind of gigantic projects he’s doing, the ARISE park, the International conference centre, the road infrastructure, the agriculture, the educational institutions, the healthcare, human capital development, training the youth and giving meaning to their lives, that’s what he’s doing.”
On the coalition being formed as an opposition against the APC ruling government, Senator Ibok Essien has dismissed the fears that President Bola Tinubu might not be re-elected in 2027. His assessment of the major actors in the ADC coalition has given him the confidence to predict that the coalition will not work, due to fundamental issues of disagreements and selfish interest and assured that 2027 will be a smooth sail for Pastor Umo Eno.
