“History repeats itself. That’s one of the things wrong with history” – Clarence Darrow
The creation of Akwa Ibom state in 1987 was seen by many as the beginning of an end. The decision of President Ibrahim Babangida to carve the state out from Cross River defined our heritage as a people. The yearnings of many were fulfilled and the euphoria that followed the first announcement by the commander –in-chief of the armed forces “IBB” was unprecedented.
The state since creation has risen to the challenges attendant upon its new political identity from the military regime to democracy, embarking vigorously on Capital Projects to ensure a prosperous and economic viable entity that will serve as a model to other Nigerian states and the rest of the world.
Behind these lofty dreams, lied a mysterious hand of providence sustained so far by some historical puzzle which defied political calculation and manipulation from the days of the first civilian Governor of the state, his Excellency, The Late Obong ‘A’kpan Isemin.
Charles Beard in his book “Written History as an Act of Fate”, rightly observed that “if a science of history was to be achieved, it would like the science of celestial mechanics, make possible the calculable prediction of the future in history”. It would bring together the totality of historical occurrences with a single field and reveal the unfolding future to its last end, including all the apparent choices made and to be made.
For total liberation of Akwa Ibom State, the future revealed, humanity would have nothing to do except to wait for its manifestation in 2015. This can be sensed in recent political developments across relevant Political stakeholders have been consulted on key issues of interest ahead of the forthcoming elections.
As political gladiators engage themselves in various political permutations ahead of the 2015 Gubernatorial race in Akwa Ibom, it is pertinent to consult the truthful and evidential shrine of Akwa Ibom political history to unravel some hard to swallow, but raw truth about the forthcoming leadership of the state to attenuate where the pendulum will swing-to in a bid to avert repeated mistakes.
The letter ‘A’ is a deciding factor in the Political firmament called “Akwa Ibom”. A mesmerizing paradox and a mystifying puzzle beyond human comprehension. One wonders why our forebears decided to name the state ‘A’kwa Abasi Ibom? They made no mistake by entrusting affairs of the state in the hands of a supreme being.
There is a surfeit of other forces in contention as regards who will occupy the Hilltop Mansion come 2015, perhaps, the following historical revelations would serve as a crystal ball to would be delegates/voters in the making to make their franchise decision easily.
Since 1987, all civilian and democratically elected Governors of Akwa Ibom state has (and will) as a matter of divine Political arrangement that defies human manipulation, had the letter ‘A’ as beginning of their first or surname, the list is endless; Obong ‘A’kpan Isemin, Obong Victor ‘A’ttah, Dr. Godswill ‘A’kpabio. This historical analogy completely favours “Mr. Bassey ‘A’lbert” to emerge as the number one citizen of the state to continue the providential political romance with letter ‘A’.
Admittedly, and like all political contest, it is a strange, dicey and a political gambling brimming with horror and the possibility of progress at the same time redolent of hopes encrusted in benumbing hopelessness. But it provides a manual of optimism embedded in undiluted historical sanctuary and serve as a practical possibility of extricating ourselves from betting against Mr. Bassey Albert at the polls.
Furthermore, there is a school of thought that the circle of ‘A’ has come to completion having witnessed the trinity of Akpan Isemin, Obong Attah and Dr. Akpabio, that it will progress to ‘B’, but still upholds ‘A’ as a per-requisite for ‘B’ at the fore front for a man in the eye of history.
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