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Akwa Ibom 2023: “I’ll Prioritize Job Creation, Rural Development & Agri-business- Umo Eno

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Michael Effiong
Umo Eno, a Pastor, is the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) gubernatorial aspirant for Akwa Ibom State. He is an acccomplished entrepreneur and visionary leader who at one time was the second highest employer of labour in the state after the government.
In this interactive session with journalists, the former Commissioner of Lands and Water Resources, who prides himself as a man of capacity, character, competence and compassion discusses his life story and vision for the state.
Akwa Ibom is generally regarded as a civil service state. How do you intend to change that perception?
That impression is not true. Yes, that used to be the case, but governments over the years have worked hard to refocus the state and its people. Having lived and done business here for over 25 years, I can say that things have changed remarkably.
In deed, Governor Udom Emmanuel has done a lot in the area of industrialization. That is why we now want to connect the dots and ensure that there is a trickle-down effect of the infrastructure and industries on the people.
Is this what has inspired your ambition to run for governor?
Becoming governor for me is a calling, not an ambition. I believe that God at any point in time controls the destinies of men.
I believe that with my experience, expertise and track record, I have so much to offer our people by serving as their governor. And we have very clear short, medium, and long-term plans.
Our current government, like I said earlier, is investing heavily in infrastructure. For example, it has done major roads, set up Ibom Air and facilitated the setting up of many industries.
Therefore, we intend to ensure that our people enjoy the benefits of these industries and natural resources. We intend to connect the dots while furthering peace and prosperity
What will be your major focus?
We will be all about jobs, jobs and more jobs.The next government would provide jobs in so many ways.
We will put resources into the completion of the Science Park, which was started by Governor Victor Attah. We will promote the knowledge economy by also funding and creating ICT hubs that will engage our talented youths. We will award grants and as well as, low interest loans to SMEs.
As someone who started business from the very scratch, I know full well how funding can hamper a budding entrepreneur. So this will be a top priority.
 We want our people to earn a descent living through the work of their hands which we believe will be ultimately blessed by God
In addition, we will be involved in massive rural development. Our women will be supported in their petty businesses. We intend to invest in primary health care , rural electrification, revamp our schools and ultimately reduce rural-urban drift.
We are an agrarian state. We will harness our agriculture potentials, for example, the Oil Palm. We will invest in and explore the agriculture value chain of various crops. Agri-business will be encouraged because of its job creation and economic benefits.
Because of the current realities of the country and even the world, our state needs someone who understands the practical aspects of running the economy not just people who talk about it.
 I keep telling our people that if God gives me the opportunity, we intend to create a middle-class for this state
Akwa Ibom has a vast array of waterbodies, any plans for the riverine areas?
Of course, we have 129kms of coastline. I have promised that within our first six months in office. I will invest in trawlers and boats for our people, build refrigerating facilities and put a fish canning factory along those areas.
The people are really suffering, they are not making much from their sweat because others own everything they use. Our government will stand in the gap for them. We will also collaborate with the security agencies to give them adequate protection along the waterways.
Also, we will develop the tourism potential of these water bodies, our beaches will be upgraded and we will tie this with our comprehensive hospitality and tourism plan.
You know hospitality/ tourism sector is my forte. We will upgrade all our tourists sites, harness our tourism assets and revamp our beaches to international standard as well as provide all support services like roads, bars etc. Our goal is to make Akwa Ibom the number 1 tourism destination in Nigeria.
Seriously, we intend to make the state very investment friendly, our people are hospitable, we have excellent road network, our state is peaceful. So, Akwa Ibom will be the one-stop investment destination. We will be deliberate about attracting businesses and as a businessman, I know what is required to make this happen.
 In addition, I am probably the only candidate who has conducted a needs assessment and has plans for all sectors and LGAs of this state.
My vision is to deliver a prosperous state with ease of doing business. We want to create a state where every Akwa Ibom person will have a sense of belonging and where every part of the state will be developed based on comparative advantage.
I will round off by saying that I have an economic blueprint encapsulated in what we have called the ARISE Agenda. Which covers agricural revolution, infrastructural renewal and maintenance, women and youth empowerment, ICT development security management and sound education and healthcare sector management, sports and tourism development, reorganisation and upskilling of the civil service as well as wealth creation.
A lot of people say that you do not have the requisite political experience for the job at hand?
Really? I am probably one of the few who combines public sector and private sector experience.
In terms of political experience, I have been in politics for decades, though not an active participant. I began my stint in public service courtesy of Obong Victor Attah, who made me Chairman, Akwa Ibom Hotels and Tourisim Board from 2004-2007. While there, we made our modest contribution. It was under my watch that the first Hotel/Tourism Directory was published in this state.
After that assignment, I went back to my business until Governor Udom Emmanuel invited me to become Executive Director, Agricultural Investments Directorate of Akwa Ibom State Investment Corporation ( AKICORP). While there, among other things, we planned and developed the first ever comprehensive data base of farmers in the state. And we covered crops and animal farmers. It has helped government to easily coordinate, support, educate and execute programmes.
 Also, I was made to Chair the team to establish the Ibom Fadama Microfinance Bank. This was a project that had been in the pipeline for years, but we were able to get all the approvals done. The bank is now up and running.
It was while still on that assignment that I was made Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources. I was there for slightly over a year before I resigned to face this gubernatorial race.There too, we initiated the Akwa GIS project, began the revamping of Akwapalms which had been moribund for decades and also negotiated compensation for communities whose land had been acquired for years. As you can see, I have always tried to leave a mark in any assignment I take up. God has been faithful at all times.
In the private sector, I began my work career in banking and left paid employment as a Group General Manager to start my own business called Royalty Group, a company that at a time employed over 2500 people and was second highest employer of labour in the state. We were the first indigenous company to win catering contract in the oil and gas industry. We were servicing thousands of staff daily on different platforms. That takes a lot of discipline, precision, project management, personnel management, quality control, and above all integrity. That is why I say with all sense of modesty that no one in the race has my job creation and management credentials.
Let’s mellow down a bit. I have heard that your story is an inspirational one. Tell us about growing up?
I grew up in the Police Barracks. I am a Barracks boy. I started from the lowest of the low. I grew up in the barracks because my father was a police officer. Therefore, because of my upbringing, I understand community living, and I understand inter- tribal living. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon.
As someone from that kind of setting, people sometimes may look down on you, because you have to struggle to survive. But the culture of discipline was something that helped to shape one’s life.
Tell us about your dad, the police officer
Fine police gentleman, one of the finest I have seen. My father was trained by the British, a very strict disciplinarian, someone who will not take no for an answer, a man who brought us up under strict disciplinary conditions, clean person.
I remember that while growing up that he won the award of the cleanest officer of the year times. He was meticulous
He was the kind of man that when he sits down, he will rub his hands on the table to see if it was dusty. If it was, you would be in trouble.
My father will put his radio (radio Nigeria)on to listen to the 4 O’clock news because he will come back home by 3pm and he knew where he left the setting of that radio.
 So if anyone tampered with it, he usually finds out. He will call me, Umo, who touched the radio? and you dared not lie to him because he knew what had happened. That was the kind of father I had.
He paid attention to details. I think some of these characteristics I have imbibed, and I will eternally remain grateful to him.
What of your mum?
My mum was everything to me and I don’t like talking about it in interviews because sometimes I become emotional,you know my father died in active service in Kaduna and my mum was barely forty years then.
My mum gave up everything to take care of all of us, six of us .
My mum was there for us, she never got married again. We were her only priority.
I am happy that later, she came to live with us and enjoyed her older years. She was able to live peacefully with my wife in the same house until she passed.
She was my prayer warrior. To her, I was still that small boy. She will scold you for things you didn’t do right, and for the ones you did right, she will hug and pray for you. My mum was just special
Take us into your educational journey?
My first school was Local Authority Primary School in Ikeja, we just used to trek to school because it was close to the Ikeja barracks.
While other boys used to go out to play football after school, I could not because I used to have so many chores to do and you dared not go out without finishing all my tasks. That was how I lost interest in football.
When I finished my primary education at Local Authority, my parents felt that we had to understand our language and culture because at the time, when you speak Ibibio to us, we could hear but we could not speak. We only spoke English, pidgin and Yoruba.
My father and all police officers from here decided to send their children home. That was how I was bundled to St. Francis secondary school in Eket.
I spent only two years there because to be honest with you, I couldn’t really cope with the environment, the disciplinary nature, the punishments, it was just something I couldn’t stand so after my second year when I went on vacation, I was seriously sick so my mum decided that I should not return there despite my father’s insistence. That was how my mum took me to Victory High School in Ikeja which was where I eventually finished.I left as the Senior Prefect.
Pastor Umo Eno
Fill us in on the years between Secondary School and University?
The truth is that if you look at my CV, there is a lot of gap in my educational sojourn because when I finished secondary school and got employed in the bank. I started working in the bank two years before my father died.
I decided to work to augment the income of my parents and also save some money to continue my education.
I had been working for about two years when my father died. I was the eldest of six siblings, so I had to grow up very fast and become a bread winner.
At the time, too, I was courting my wife and she lost her mother too. She had five siblings as well and they too became my responsibility.
I was at the bank and was attending Apostolic church. It was in that church that I met a gentleman, Mr. Albert Inyang, MD, Bertola Machine Tools Nigeria Limited who invited me join his business because he knew the troubles I was going through and he stated that, if I worked hard, the money the bank was paying me in one year, I can make in one month.
He is still alive, he is one of the greatest men I respect because he gave me encouragement and that was how I found myself working for him as his Commercial Director and I moved on in life after that.
So, the gap in my education is the years spent trying to raise my kids and family. I eventually went to stùdy at the University of Uyo after I formed Royalty Group and relocated to Akwa Ibom State.
Now that you have mentioned Royalty. How did it happen?
From Bertola, two of us were invited for an interview at Norman Holdings. I was the preferred candidate. You know, they referred to me as the preferred candidate. So that name has been with me from way back. I have always had the grace of God in my life, and that was how I joined Norman Holdings as Investment Officer. I grew through the ranks and became the Group General Manager.
The company needed to do some expansion, and I led the team that was commissioned to come up with three areas of investment that we would like the company to dabble into.
After weeks of hard work, I made my presentation to the board. We asked the company to consider investing in hotels, water bottling, and salt.
My Chairman said, “Umo, you have done well, but I don’t think this will work. We think you should go and do some more research”.
We have been working on this thing for six months and I knew how thorough and solid our research was.
I felt really sad, especially the fact that the Board had lost confidence in my abilities. So I went to my immediate boss and we used to discuss in pidgin English, and I said, Aunty I dey go.
I told her I believed in these projects and God helping me, I will go and execute them. That was how I tendered my resignation.
At the time I took this decision, I was very much well paid.But I had made up my mind. I then decided to come back to Eket, Akwa Ibom State. When we got here, I saw an opportunity that despite Mobil now ExxonMobil being here, the town had very few hotel facilities. I made some enquiries, and that was how we started Royalty Group.
We built our first 5-room hotel facility. Our business is a story in resilience and today, we have many other facilities in other parts of the state and we are also into other businesses including water bottling.
https://thebossnewspapers.com/2023/01/07/akwa-ibom-2023-i-was-not-convicted-or-declared-wanted-pastor-umo-eno-insists/
You are reputed as someone who loves to serve. Kindly expatiate.
I am in the hospitality industry and I love serving my customers.
I would not sit and watch my staff do everything. You show leadership. If I walk into a place and things are not done right, I make it right. We are all called to serve and besides, I am a pastor and a pastor is a servant. People see it as humility for the owner to serve, but I see it as being a first among equals.
At Royalty, you called yourself Executive Governor. How did this come about?.
I had two inspirations.In those days, I used to go to Nightshift,this was a popular night club in Ikeja, Lagos. The owner of the place was Ken Calebs- Olumese. Everyone used to call him the governor. He was always on his feet, working and serving, and I really admired that.
Secondly, I always wanted to be different. Everybody was called MD, so I wanted to create my own identity, an empire where I will be in charge, so that was what propelled me to call myself Executive Governor.
How do you see your chances, especially with the opposition that characterized your emergence?
The PDP is a very formidable force in Akwa Ibom State. Virtually all the accolades the state receives today is the work of the PDP. The party is strong, but we are not resting on our oars. We campaigned vigorously and sold our vision across the 31 LGAs.
On my emergence, we had to deal with court cases. All manner of cases, some very frivolous and annoying, outright lies, but I am told it comes with the territory.
 We have overcome them, winning all the way to the Supreme Court. Like I have said, I abhor no grudges, we are going to run an all-inclusive government.
 My running mate, Senator Akon Eyakenyi and I, assure Akwa Ibom people that the future they desire for themselves and their children is possible.
We intend to run a state couched in Christian values and virtues. With the votes of our people, I promise that we are about to witness the golden years of Akwa Ibom State.

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Police Arrest Four Yoruba Nation Agitators for Seizing Radio Station

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Some Yoruba Nation agitators, on Sunday morning, seized Radio Nigeria, Amuludun FM 99.1 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, taking over broadcast for more than one hour.

A source told The PUNCH Metro that the agitators, who besieged the station around 5:40 am in an 18-seater bus, were armed with dangerous weapons and charms, threatening to deal decisively with any staff member who refused to cooperate with them.

However, four out of the agitators, among whom was a woman, were arrested by the police with the assistance of the Nigerian army, while others ran into different directions to evade arrest.

One of the arrested agitators, who sustained gunshot wounds, had rushed into the studio to tell others that security operatives had taken over the nooks and crannies of the station. The blood stain was seen in the studio.

An investigation by our correspondent revealed that after holding some night duty staff and security guards hostage, the agitators hijacked the studio and announced live on radio “Welcome to Yoruba Nation.”

An impeccable source further said they continued threatening staff members to remove all Nigeria flags in the station and replace them with Yoruba Nation flags as they have already taken over the Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

It was further learnt that they initially hijacked some commercial vehicles (Micra) to block the main road.

When our correspondent visited the station at J&P Bus-stop, Moniya in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state, more than 20 operational vehicles of security agents, including Department of State Services were sighted at strategic locations to forestall any eventuality.

Confirming the invasion, the most senior staff on duty, Ajayi Omotola, stated that, “They told us that they are Yoruba Nation agitators. And in their T-shirt, there was that inscription there. They wrote Yoruba Nation. Only six persons came inside the studio with different charms threatening to kill us if we failed to cooperate. Others were outside manning security at different areas within the premises.

“They collected all our phones and threatened to kill us if we made any noise or phone calls. They said they wanted to broadcast live that Yoruba Nation has taken over. We should remove all Nigeria flags in our studio and replace it with their own. They didn’t allow anybody to go outside. The Area Commander came, addressed and even pleaded with them but they ignored him. We later heard sporadic shooting outside. So, one of our staff members then came inside to inform us that police and soldiers had arrived,” Omotola stressed.

As of press time, normalcy had returned while stern-looking security operatives were still manning the station.

The Punch

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76th Cannes Film Festival Ends with Bang

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The stars on parade at 76th Festival de Cannes

 

By Michael Effiong

The colour, the glamour, the style and class of the 76th Annual Cannes Film Festival ends today with a big bang.

Festival de Cannes, the film industry’s most prestigious festival will take place at 8:30 pm and will be broadcast live on France 2 and internationally on Brut.

The Jury, presided over by director Ruben Östlund and including director Maryam Touzani, actor Denis Ménochet, writer/director Rungano Nyoni, actress/director Brie Larson, actor/director Paul Dano, writer Atiq Rahimi, director Damián Szifron and director Julia Ducournau, will select the winners from the 21 films in Competition this year.

Actress Anaïs Demoustier, President of the Jury, will hand out the Caméra d’or award to the best first film. Actress Stacy Martin and director Ildikó Enyedi, President of the Short Film and La Cinef Jury, will award the Palme d’or for short films.

Actor Orlando Bloom will hand out the Jury Prize. Actor Song Kang-ho, last year’s winner of the Best Performance by an Actor for Broker and actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi, last year’s winner of the Best Performance by an Actress for Holy Spider, will award the Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor Prizes respectively.

 

Actor John C. Reilly, President of the Un Certain Regard Jury, will award the Best Screenplay Prize, while Pete Docter, Creative Director of Pixar Studios, will present the Best Director Prize.

 

The Festival de Cannes will also be honored by the exceptional presence tonight of legendary filmmaker Roger Corman, who will present the Grand Prix alongside virtuoso Quentin Tarantino.

 

Finally, the prestigious Palme d’or will be presented by the formidable and inspiring Jane Fonda.

 

The Closing Ceremony will mark the end of the 76th Festival de Cannes, and will be followed by the screening of Peter Sohn‘s film Elementary in the Grand Théâtre Lumière.

 

The 21 films competing for the Palme d’or this year are : Firebrand by Karim Aïnouz, Asteroid City by Wes Anderson, Rapito (Kidnapped)(Kidnapped) by Marco Bellocchio, Les Filles d’Olfa (Four Daughters)(Four Daughters) by Kaouther Ben Hania, L’Été dernier (Last Summer) (Last Summer) by Catherine Breillat, Kuru Otlar Ustune (About Dry Grasses)(About Dry Grasses) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Le Retour (Homecoming) by Catherine Corsini, The Zone of Interest by Jonathan Glazer, Club Zero by Jessica Hausner, May December by Todd Haynes, Monster by Kore-Eda Hirokazu, Kuolleet Lehdet (Fallen Leaves)(Fallen Leaves) by Aki Kaurismäki, The Old Oak by Ken Loach, Il Sol dell’ avvenire (A Brighter Tomorrow)(A Brighter Tomorrow) by Nanni Moretti, La Chimera by Alice Rohrwacher, Black Flies by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, Banel e Adama by Ramata-Toulaye Sy, La Passion de Dodin Bouffant (The Pot-au-Feu) (The Pot-au-Feuby Tran Anh Hùng, Anatomie d’une chute (Anatomy of a Fall) (Anatomy of a Fallby Justine Triet, Jeunesse (Le Printemps) (Youth (Spring))(Youth (Spring)) by Wang Bing, Perfect Days by Wim Wenders.

The Closing ceremony, usually a wonderful evening to behold will be broadcast in English and French by Brut.

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Delta Beyond Drugs: Bishop Aruakpor Receives Silec Initiatives

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In preparation for the forthcoming Delta Beyond Drugs Project in Delta State, the SILEC Initiatives team paid a visit to the Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Oleh Church of Nigeria, The Rt. Rev’d John Usiwoma Aruakpor. The solidarity visit was led by the Founder/President Silec Initiatives, Amb. Sunny Irakpo, a U.S Government Sponsored Exchange Alumni who was invited by the U.S Government to participate in the prestigious international Visitor’s Leadership Exchange Program of the Department of State in 2019.

Upon his return from the States, the anti-drug ambassador has continued to sensitize the public on the dangers of drug abuse in Nigeria where he currently floats the Delta Beyond Drugs Project to compliment the efforts of the State Government in order to help address the heightened state of drugs and substance abuse.

Irakpo, intimated the plans of the DBD Project to the Diocesan who keep championing innovative projects in Isoko especially the just concluded School of Nursing , Hospital and many other ongoing projects for the Isoko nation. He hinted that the primary objective of the DBD Project is to sensitize the youths and parents alike about the dangers of drug abuse with the various experimentations presently ongoing amongst youths.

He voiced that drug abuse has eaten deeply into the fabric of the society, and the illicit are experimentation by the youths with different hazardous chemicals/ drugs on a regular basis which is even harmful to their health and that the need to address this ugly trends claiming the lives of promising youths in the state is now.

The trend which has become very worrisome in Isokoland and other parts of Delta state, need the attention of all stakeholders to participate in the wellbeing and wellness of our youths and society.

While he appreciated the clergyman for given them the opportunity to collaborate with the church, also related that Silec Initiatives is one of the most active anti-drug NGO in Nigeria, and as a pragmatic organization that has contributed immensely to the fight against drugs merchandise with empirical evidences, remain an NGO recognized at the international level for their exception capacity in the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria for over a decade.

In his response, Bishop Aruakpor was very happy, impressed and proud with the Founder Silec Initiatives Sunny Irakpo for making the Isoko nation proud in Nigeria and across the global space.

And that seeing a young man with such laudable vision with thought provoking ideas and concept is an indication that Isoko nation is on the good path of greatness and progress if only support is given to him and many others who are making the Isoko nation proud.

In his words, I am proud of you for all the giant strides you have made in this nation in this life transforming Initiative.

We gladly welcome you home for we need you at this critical moment that our youths are becoming something else in the name of drugs. As a diocese ,we are doing our best in the environment we’ve found ourselves as we continue to apply the ant philosophy to achieve all the God given projects to us. For there’s nothing , I lay my hands that God will not help me to accomplished. So in this campaign against drugs and substance abuse in Delta State Particularly in Isokoland, we are solidly behind you to drive the message back home. We shall give Silec Initiatives the full support and to also rally round in the area of funding for the sustenance of the project. We shall also try our best to reach out to the various stakeholders of which we are also involving the Nigeria Police, all the clergy and the youths.

Other members of the team were Kingsley Ewomarevia Silec Initiatives Community Liaison Coordinator, James Agholor, Director of Publication Silec Initiatives, top Isoko artistes Obara Obaro (MC Moonlight) and Funky Franky a music impresario.

The event is schedule to take place with a mega rally to mark the international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking on the 10th June ,2023 in Partnership with the Anglican Diocese of Oleh Church of Nigeria by 8:am at the Cathedral of Paul as a meeting point to take off.

The founder Silec Initiatives enjoined all Sons and Daughters of Isoko to come out enmass to vehemently resist this enemy of progress of youths, Isoko nation, Delta State and Nigeria in general.

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