By Tom FredFish
Akaniyene Etukudo who gained admission to study Petroleum Engineering at the University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State was diagnosed of kidney failure.
His family could not afford the money to fund an operation in India which cost about seven (7) million naira. Hence, his only surviving elder brother, Sampson Etukudo, a computer programmer spends above a hundred thousand naira weekly, for dialysis machine at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo. Unfortunately, Sampson life savings got exhausted and he couldn’t afford to pay for the dialysis machine any longer.
Akan was devastated. The hope of surviving deemed; there was no reprieve coming his way. His other colleagues had already enrolled and started classes at Unuyo.
As Akan laid hopelessly at home, reminiscing his last days on earth, someone told Sampson, Akan elder brother that Godswill Akpabio will be visiting the teaching hospital. Sampson, whose unshaken faith on Akpabio is like that of the biblical Sampson on God, carried his younger brother Akan to the hospital in oder to exhaust this one lifeline – meeting Akpabio. On getting there, they sat at one corner waiting for Akpabio to pass.
As Akpabio walked past them with a surging crowd of aides, security men, onlookers and passerby, Akan shouted “Obong Godswill Akpabio have mercy on me.” on hearing the faint voice, Akpabio stood instantly, walked to the area where Akan was seated and asked, “what is wrong with you and how can I be of help to you?”
Sampson, who had rehearsed a long speech all night was interrupted by Akpabio who asked that Akan be immediately sent overseas for proper medical care / operation as the case maybe. Akan later lived to tell the story after a successful surgery in India. He then joined his colleagues who were now a year ahead of him: Godswill Obot Akpabio.
One day, Godswill Akpabio was on his way to Nsit Ubium for an official engagement. And he spotted a dilapidated primary school, he halted his convey instantly, highlighted from the vehicle and inspected the sorry state of the school. Moved by what the pupils would be going through in such environment, Akpabio immediately ordered the former Commissioner for works, Mr. Don Etim who was fortunately on the convoy that as he is returning from where he was going to, he wants to see materials and workers in the school.
Two hours later, the school became a construction site. Akpabio dropped by on his way back to Uyo and inspected the ongoing work: Godswill Obot Akpabio.
Judges in Akwa Ibom State were scheduled to meet with Godswill Akpabio at government house, Uyo by 11am. However, an unexpected event in Abuja the federal capital, kept Akpabio beyond the 11am appointment with them, thus the honourably judges waited till 5:30 pm.
Angered that they were wasting the time they would have “used to send some criminals to jail”, some of them grumbled silently while others murmured angrily. But they waited.
As Akpabio hurriedly walk into the hall around 5:31pm he apologized regrettably to the honorable judges: “my highly respected and esteemed honourable judges, I am so sorry for keeping you all waiting this long, it is never my intention but the exigencies of my office kept me away that long, please accept my apology. However, I assure you all that the long wait will be worth it.”
At the end of the brief two hours meeting, the judges were seen smiling home and according to people closer to the judges, they went home that night with 15milion naira each. Many of them who had served the state meritoriously but cannot acquire land or built a house are now proud landlords living in one of the most beautiful houses in Uyo: Godswill Obot Akpabio.
According to different versions of the story which I have had cause to ask Engineer Ita Awak severally without any response from him, Godswill Akpabio paid an unscheduled visit to Chief Otu Ita Toyo aka “Total Chair” at his residence only to find / discover / know that Engr. Ita Awak was squatting at the “Boys Quarters” of Ita Toyo. Irritated by the fact that Awak who had served Akwa Ibom State could be found squatting, Akpabio was said to have given Awak a handsome amount of money to immediately get / build / own his own apartment: Godswill Obot Akpabio.
These stories which sounds like fairy tales and many more others were the remarkable features of the man
Godswill Obot Akpabio who served Akwa Ibom State as governor from 2007-2015.
Better known as the man that turned boys to men, many of his aides – some of who have turned their backs on him today were beneficiaries of his benevolence. The likes of Onofiok Luke, Enobong Uwah, Ekerete Ekpenyong, Emmanuel Ekpenyong aka Iraq, Aniefiok Dennis, and a host of others irrespective of their current political leanings are alive and can testify to the Godswill “Akpabioism” systemically organized empowerment / support.
A compassionate leader with multiple dosage of human kindness, many who don’t have access to him were ready to wait for hours just to touch his shoes, knowing fully well that, doing so will not only remedy their immediate problems, but will likely make them smile forever. No one meet with Godswill Akpabio at any time of the day and remains the same. People’s faith and hope on him were unshaken. Just as his zeal to serve humanity is legendary. Make no mistake, Akpabio purpose on earth was to be an helpmate to many.
When I read Matshona Dhliwayo who is a Canadian based Philosopher, Entrepreneur, and author of many books note that a benevolent man is a man with “compassion for others; mouth to speak for others; hands to help others; feet to visit others; ears to listen to others, and life to better others”, I knew Godswill Akpabio was in his mind.
This is not to say that Godswill Akpabio does not have his faults. He does, big time. But his goodness far outweighs his many faults. For a man who has never disappointed any one that are opportune to meet him, he must have been created on an auto-help mood. Though few people will not see the good side of him due to their political difference but deep inside their hearts, Godswill Obot Akpabio is a good man worth befriending.
This piece is to thank and appreciate the current Senate Minority Leader on behalf of the hundreds of people whose life he touched while serving the state as well as to encourage him that his humanitarian gesture irrespective of any short comings are eternally appreciated by majority of Akwa Ibom people.
_Tom FredFish is a public affairs analyst._
