Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has thanked God for hearing the prayers of Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel over his successor.
Obasanjo hailed Governor Udom as a performer and a leader in a speech he gave yesterday at the Eket local government area, just before the 23.4 km Eket-Etinan dual carriage Road was officially opened.
He said: “Let me start by thanking God Almighty for this day, for this opportunity, occasion and for Akwa Ibom people. I have a few things to say and the first thing I want to say is that what you see here in the performance of the governor is what
“Governor, you have particularly dignified me because I have come here to Commissíon projects at your invitation more than any other State in Nigeria. Governor, you are doing well.
“To me, success is making a place better than you find it and you’ve made the whole of Akwa Ibom State better than you found it, therefore you are a success. But again success has another part”
He recalled that when Governor Udom took over saying, “Governor maybe you have forgotten; you invited me for a Church service, and one of the things you said on that occasion, which I will never forget, is that as you served your predecessor, as you were loyal to your predecessor, may God give you a successor that will do the same to you.
“If you have not really been who you are, what you are and how you are, you wouldn’t have been able to come out openly and publicly and offer such prayer. I am happy that God has answered your prayer.
“The governor-elect, I congratulate you, I congratulate the governor, I congratulate myself and all the people of Akwa Ibom State. Governor, you started well and you are finishing well.
”But let me say this, comparatively you are still a young man. So I will expect that after you have handed over you will take a short rest but Akwa Ibom State still a lot from you, Nigeria, Africa still expect a lot from you. And by the grace of God, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, Africa will squeeze the best out of you
“Having said that, let me now say this. You people of Akwa Ibom State God has given you precious gift which has laid, or brought about or initiated these projects, then make use of them and take advantage of them.
“If you have a good Road and it does not lead to enhanced economic activities, that good road is not serving the full purpose that it is supposed to serve. When we were coming here, I asked the governor, how about Agriculture and Agribusiness?
“The answer he gave me did not indicate that you are doing as well as you should do in this area of the economy. And why should you not when you have peace? When you have peace, security and stability, you have the basics that you need for economic development and progress.
“And that lies in the hands of all of you in Akwa Ibom State. Let me thank all of you in Akwa Ibom State for giving Governor Udom Emmanuel the support, the encouragement to enable him to perform as he has performed”.
