Comrade Leo Umana, Akwa Ibom frontline youth leader, is a member of the Board of Internal Revenue Service. Popularly called the Oracle due to his campaign to get youths of marriageable age to position of responsibility, Comrade Umana, who had a tete-a-tete with the Managing Editor of Ibom Telegraph, Darlington DAVID, speaks on sundry matters. Excerpts:
You have been in the forefront of the crusade for mental, social and economic emancipation and reorientation of the Akwa Ibom youth. Do you think the Akwa Ibom youth, when placed side-by-side with his contemporaries outside, is socially, mentally and economically viable?
The DAKKADA Mantra and the self-reliant and development philosophy of the present administration has really challenged and re-awaken the mental consciousness of every Akwa Ibom youth. The social consciousness has exponentially grown as we can measure it favourably with other climes. And the combination of this mental and social consciousness will shoot us into economic recovery, independence and viability.
In celebrating Akwa Ibom at 30, do you think we have kept to the dreams and visions of our founding fathers?
Yes. The dreams and vision of a Pan-Akwa Ibom State is seriously on course as manifested in the core proposition value of Governor Udom’s administration being an instrument of unity, peace, the past and the present, the future and today, and the peaceful co-existence of all the ethnic groups in Akwa Ibom State.
You played a non-participatory role, a Returning Officer, in the just concluded local government primaries of the PDP. What was the experience like?
It was like a family business. I saw harmony, unity and commitment of PDP members to sustain democracy and maintain peace in the state. It was very good.
As a party man, do you think Akwa Ibom State will still remain a stronghold of the PDP in 2019, considering the alleged strength of the APC at the center?
Akwa Ibom State is PDP and PDP is Akwa Ibom State. You can witness with the influx of APC members into PDP fold in recent times.
You are a member of a Board that is saddled with the responsibility of generating revenue for Akwa Ibom State. How has it been so far?
The journey so far has been exciting, captivating, tasking but promising.
So many youth, particularly those that are of marriageable age, look up to you as their role model. What is your word of advice or message to them?
My word of advice to the younger ones is simple: Believe in God. They must look up to God in all that they will say and do; to live a life of conscience, honesty and transparent in the open and in the secret. Â To respect the Elders, support the government of Governor Udom Emmanuel. They must be prayerful.
