Initially, I thought that sycophancy and political follow-follow is a socio-economic emancipation disease that affects the youths only. But in my own local government, Ankpa, the reverse is the case as it has been clearly shown that it the traditional rulers and so-called elders are the real champions of sycophancy and has submerged Ankpa and held it captive in a controversial web of a chronic and self-interest conspiracy with the political actors aimed purely at a persistent and perpetual underdevelopment of Ankpa.
It was very disheartening when the people Ankpa woke up this morning and saw a news captioned, “Ankpa Elders Pass A Vote of Confidence on Hon. Ahmed Mohammed”. Two things came into my mind:
1) Are these people really elders at all?
2) Do the know the meaning and implication of a Vote of confidence at all?
Why will traditional rulers, because of some socio-economic benefits they get from the politicians like rice, cash gifts and other personal souvenirs, decide to play on the collective interest, integrity and common sense of Ankpa people by making such a bold political statement on one of the renown non-performing dis-honorable member of the State House of Assembly, who is now widely acknowledge as the errand boy of the State Governor?
Since inauguration, swearing-in as a member representing the people of Ankpa 1 constituency, statistics have shown that he has only two motions on the floor of the House, contribute less to the discussion on the floor of the House, alleged to be used to hire thugs to beat up a fellow lawmaker, cannot account for the constituency allowances he collected on behalf of the people. Most pathetic is that the acclaimed water project tagged ‘operation water for all’ has proven to be a great failure as most of the boreholes he renovated, not constructed, are back to square one. 80% of Ankpa residents now depend on water vendors to get water for daily usage.
On the scholarship scheme, to me it is the greatest scam on the people of Ankpa as only five students were presented to the public as beneficiaries but the unfortunate information has it that after the public presentation and deception that none of the students have heard from Hon. Ahmed Mohammed since then.
On the issue of school rehabilitation and infrastructural development, I challenge the Onuh of Ankpa and those bunch of elders to point out one school that was comfortably renovated by the lawmaker. In fact, 75% of the public schools in Ankpa lack basic learning facilities like furniture and books. Furthermore, let those elders shows us 1kilometer feeder road that was constructed or renovated by Hon. Ahmed.
On the issue of his skill acquisition and entrepreneurship scheme that is taking the youths off the streets, I want to believe that the elders have not mistaken buying of Okada and distributing it to youths, instead of giving them scholarships, or organizing viable wealth creation summits as skill acquisition and entrepreneurship scheme that is taking the youths off the streets.
The question of the lips of many Ankpa residents is; when and where are those his skill acquisition and entrepreneurship scheme and the visible impact it has on the youths in Ankpa?
It is not hidden, youth poverty, joblessness and restiveness has overtaken the land of Ankpa – an opportunity been taking advantage of by the politicians and the so-called elders to recruit them as political thugs and touts.
Sincerely, the only sector or area that Hon. Ahmed Mohammed deserve a vote of confidence is in the area of buying and sharing of rice and motorcycle, not to people who are hungry and poor and deserved to be empowered but to some sycophantic elders and their touts.
Let Hon. Ahmed Mohammed intervene in the menace of gully erosion in Ankpa, construct or renovate feeder roads, intervene in the poverty and hunger crises in Ankpa and also the issue of youth restiveness and joblessness in Ankpa. Then political men and angels will start thinking of passing a vote of confidence on his representation.
Conclusively, my humble advice to the traditional class and the elders is for them to play the role of custodian of moral values and advise the politicians on how better to improve the lives of people in their domains, rather than engaging in sycophantic political gesture aimed at self economic emancipation WHICH HAS KEPT Ankpa under the radar of underdevelopment for many years.
Long live my dearest Ankpa.
Ankpa must be dis-infected come 2019.
– Sam Enemama Akubor
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