Here Comes the Game Changer 'Benjamin Okoko'
Life provides no higher satisfaction than surmounting difficulties,passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes and seeing them gratified. As the country inches closer to another year of election, the political landscape have in the past few months witness some tectonic grating.
The power blocs are on the move again, like massive tanks crushing their way through difficult terrain. As the political space opens up to fresh possibilities, intense political jockeying has also commenced all over the country. Across the length and breath of Nigeria, the political actors are at it again, forging fresh alliances and trying to bond together.
Unarguably, one state the world is focussing attention and monitoring closely is Nigeria's oil rich Akwa Ibom state. The reason is not far fetched. The state has been transformed into a model masterpiece and placed on the global map of world reckoning. Little wonder the whole land is quaking with fright and premonition. Who is the best candidate to succeed Governor Akpabio,everybody seems to be asking. At last, after many months of search and pitiable confusion,the game changer has finally arrived. His name is Hon Benjamin Okoko. Remember him?
When the country was preparing to transit from military to democratic rule in 1999, he was one of the founding fathers of the ruling People's Democratic Party,(PDP) whose platform he aspired as Governor. The coast was clear for his victory at the primary headed by the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo. But Benjo as fondly called by friends and admirers was persuaded by his party to step down for Arc. Obong Victor Attah in order to allow Uyo Senatorial District complete their tenure that began in the aborted third republic under the late Obong Akpan Isemin as Governor.
He did not disappoint. To his credit,he,it was, who laid the foundation for a peaceful and systematic rotation of the governorship seat among the three senatorial districts of the state. He accepted the party's decision with faith, tranquillity and uncommon grace, thus establishing a reputation of uncommon patriotism and commitment to democratic values,exhibiting a practical meaning of loyalty to the party by placing the greater good above self. It was however a temporary set back but he was optimistic that destiny can only be delayed but certainly cannot be denied. His decision to heed to the appeal of his party was a political master stroke on the part of Hon Benjamin Okoko, combining sound judgement with political dexterity and calculated to reap maximum political dividends without ruffling any geo-political feather. Little wonder sixteen years after, it is Benjo reloaded, bouncing back stronger and highly re invigorated to the warm and enthusiastic embrace of Akwa Ibom people who were yearning for a suitable successor that will take the state and its people to the next level.
A quiet and reticent fellow, devoted to the upliftment of humanity, lavishing kindness and affection on all who comes his way without any ethnic or religious bias, Benjamin Okoko is a model Nigerian, detribalised, visionary and possessing an analytical mindset. Despite his accomplishment as a successful businessman, politician and technocrat, he does not push himself or push anybody around. He is courteous and polite to an extreme. By all accounts, he is a life of humility and studied self-effacement. He is exceptionally brilliant but not puffy, well-heeled but not extravagant, always showing up without superciliousness. Many who have known him and have come in close contact with him always marvel at his comportment and public discipline. If there is one aspirant with the depth of understanding, political ingenuity and moral fortitude needed to galvanise a people, Benjamin Okoko is the man,truly he is a game changer.
As Akwa Ibom state and her people prepare for the 2015 polls, it is an indisputable fact that no other aspirant better personifies the best aspirations of a people than him. Like him or hate him, he is an eloquent speaker with intellectual tenacity and a robust predisposition for constuctive political engagement and dialogue. No other aspirant can lay claim to greater political sagacity, knowledge, oratorial eloquence and of course, popularity and acceptability among the major stakeholders in Akwa Ibom than Benjamin Okoko. It must be noted that at different era of human history, great and visionary leaders emerge to chart a new course for their people. This Benjo represents as he strives to forge a new identity for Akwa Ibom people come 2015 believing that there is no great nation with a discernible identity which did not have visionary leaders at one point or the other in its history. He is coming into the race prepared with a well thought out plan anchored on a leadership model that is not only premised on development but more importantly about anticipating the future and where his people should be in the coming decades. This explains why he is coming up with a well-reasoned and powerfully integrated economic credo that will lift his people out of poverty and unemployment thus reversing and halting the staggering inequality which breeds crisis in the polity as he believes a strong nexus exist between youth unemployment and the crippling crisis facing the society today.
As far as Benjamin Okoko is concerned, Akwa Ibom is an economic miracle waiting to happen. What remains is the right framework and commitment to succeed. This is so because the past and present administration have laid the solid foundation to act as catalyst and springboard for the rapid industrialisation of the state. All modern nations are artificial creations summoned and willed into existence by the creative leap of consciousness and the help of visionary imagining which explains why a country like India is a high-tech miracle, China is on the verge of toppling America as the world's biggest economy, Brazil jolted a generation of about 30 million people out of poverty while South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore are labelled Asian tigers. What did these countries do differently? This forms the economic revival masterplan the Benjamin administration will unleash on Akwa Ibom state when voted into office as Governor in 2015. This is so because when the state was created, what the military gave was a nation in itself,which is the best it could do in the circumstances. To become a nation for itself requires the harnessing of the philosophies and visionary ideology the last two administration have laid through sterling and heroic examples. It is this vision that Benjamin Okoko is coming to sustain and consolidate towards repositioning Akwa Ibom as a major global and dominant player economically and induastrially in the Gulf of Guinea.
As the 2015 election draws near, it is therefore not surprising that the people of Akwa Ibom are rallying round a man whose ambition is opportunity meeting preparedness, a model politician, exceptional administrator,and leader par excellence. The people are no doubt determined to choose between irreversible progress which his candidacy symbolises and utter ruination of the destiny of a people which a wrong choice represents.
Author: Dan Etokidem is a Journalist and Public Affairs analyst based in Uyo. His Phone no. is 08064344222
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| Hon. Benjamin Okoko |
Unarguably, one state the world is focussing attention and monitoring closely is Nigeria's oil rich Akwa Ibom state. The reason is not far fetched. The state has been transformed into a model masterpiece and placed on the global map of world reckoning. Little wonder the whole land is quaking with fright and premonition. Who is the best candidate to succeed Governor Akpabio,everybody seems to be asking. At last, after many months of search and pitiable confusion,the game changer has finally arrived. His name is Hon Benjamin Okoko. Remember him?
When the country was preparing to transit from military to democratic rule in 1999, he was one of the founding fathers of the ruling People's Democratic Party,(PDP) whose platform he aspired as Governor. The coast was clear for his victory at the primary headed by the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo. But Benjo as fondly called by friends and admirers was persuaded by his party to step down for Arc. Obong Victor Attah in order to allow Uyo Senatorial District complete their tenure that began in the aborted third republic under the late Obong Akpan Isemin as Governor.
He did not disappoint. To his credit,he,it was, who laid the foundation for a peaceful and systematic rotation of the governorship seat among the three senatorial districts of the state. He accepted the party's decision with faith, tranquillity and uncommon grace, thus establishing a reputation of uncommon patriotism and commitment to democratic values,exhibiting a practical meaning of loyalty to the party by placing the greater good above self. It was however a temporary set back but he was optimistic that destiny can only be delayed but certainly cannot be denied. His decision to heed to the appeal of his party was a political master stroke on the part of Hon Benjamin Okoko, combining sound judgement with political dexterity and calculated to reap maximum political dividends without ruffling any geo-political feather. Little wonder sixteen years after, it is Benjo reloaded, bouncing back stronger and highly re invigorated to the warm and enthusiastic embrace of Akwa Ibom people who were yearning for a suitable successor that will take the state and its people to the next level.
A quiet and reticent fellow, devoted to the upliftment of humanity, lavishing kindness and affection on all who comes his way without any ethnic or religious bias, Benjamin Okoko is a model Nigerian, detribalised, visionary and possessing an analytical mindset. Despite his accomplishment as a successful businessman, politician and technocrat, he does not push himself or push anybody around. He is courteous and polite to an extreme. By all accounts, he is a life of humility and studied self-effacement. He is exceptionally brilliant but not puffy, well-heeled but not extravagant, always showing up without superciliousness. Many who have known him and have come in close contact with him always marvel at his comportment and public discipline. If there is one aspirant with the depth of understanding, political ingenuity and moral fortitude needed to galvanise a people, Benjamin Okoko is the man,truly he is a game changer.
As Akwa Ibom state and her people prepare for the 2015 polls, it is an indisputable fact that no other aspirant better personifies the best aspirations of a people than him. Like him or hate him, he is an eloquent speaker with intellectual tenacity and a robust predisposition for constuctive political engagement and dialogue. No other aspirant can lay claim to greater political sagacity, knowledge, oratorial eloquence and of course, popularity and acceptability among the major stakeholders in Akwa Ibom than Benjamin Okoko. It must be noted that at different era of human history, great and visionary leaders emerge to chart a new course for their people. This Benjo represents as he strives to forge a new identity for Akwa Ibom people come 2015 believing that there is no great nation with a discernible identity which did not have visionary leaders at one point or the other in its history. He is coming into the race prepared with a well thought out plan anchored on a leadership model that is not only premised on development but more importantly about anticipating the future and where his people should be in the coming decades. This explains why he is coming up with a well-reasoned and powerfully integrated economic credo that will lift his people out of poverty and unemployment thus reversing and halting the staggering inequality which breeds crisis in the polity as he believes a strong nexus exist between youth unemployment and the crippling crisis facing the society today.
As far as Benjamin Okoko is concerned, Akwa Ibom is an economic miracle waiting to happen. What remains is the right framework and commitment to succeed. This is so because the past and present administration have laid the solid foundation to act as catalyst and springboard for the rapid industrialisation of the state. All modern nations are artificial creations summoned and willed into existence by the creative leap of consciousness and the help of visionary imagining which explains why a country like India is a high-tech miracle, China is on the verge of toppling America as the world's biggest economy, Brazil jolted a generation of about 30 million people out of poverty while South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore are labelled Asian tigers. What did these countries do differently? This forms the economic revival masterplan the Benjamin administration will unleash on Akwa Ibom state when voted into office as Governor in 2015. This is so because when the state was created, what the military gave was a nation in itself,which is the best it could do in the circumstances. To become a nation for itself requires the harnessing of the philosophies and visionary ideology the last two administration have laid through sterling and heroic examples. It is this vision that Benjamin Okoko is coming to sustain and consolidate towards repositioning Akwa Ibom as a major global and dominant player economically and induastrially in the Gulf of Guinea.
As the 2015 election draws near, it is therefore not surprising that the people of Akwa Ibom are rallying round a man whose ambition is opportunity meeting preparedness, a model politician, exceptional administrator,and leader par excellence. The people are no doubt determined to choose between irreversible progress which his candidacy symbolises and utter ruination of the destiny of a people which a wrong choice represents.
Author: Dan Etokidem is a Journalist and Public Affairs analyst based in Uyo. His Phone no. is 08064344222
Here Comes the Game Changer 'Benjamin Okoko'
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