By Joe Iniodu
As the calendar ushers the world into December 9, events that share the date echo, reminding people of whatever attachments they have with the date. For the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, their attachment to the date is that the senator who is making them proud in the National Assembly was born on that fateful day. To the people of Akwa Ibom State, their attachment to the date is through a two -term governor (2007-2015) who wrought a radical development revolution on the landscape of the State. To the South- South region, it is attached to the date through its leader and voice of the region who during his three years stint as Minister of the Niger Delta Ministry completed abandoned projects that had lingered for decades and repositioned NDDC as an efficient interventionist agency. To the National Assembly and the Nigerian Senate in specific, their association with the date is through their uncommon and cerebral President of the Senate who presides over an assembly that is aptly referred to as the people’s senate. For the aforementioned segments and others, the date being an incipient part of the festive season always has a way of using the birthday celebration of Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio to kick start the Yuletide season.
However, what this article has set out to do is neither a retrospection nor an introspection of Senator Akpabio’s birthday but to undertake an examination of the values that inhabit him which perhaps have contributed to his meteoric rise in politics and the building of a humongous tribe of admirers who have unwavering faith in his leadership.
For the purpose of this discourse, let me hazard a spartan concept for values and do the same on leadership. Values here refer to principles or standards that govern human behaviour. It involves a set of beliefs and priorities that dictate a person’s actions as well as decisions. For leadership, we would narrow it to guiding and inspiring others towards a common goal . It is further noted that good leaders communicate and make decisions that benefit the vast majority and bring greater good to the greatest number. In the compartments above, Akpabio merits to be discussed within the two frameworks.
Armed with the two working definitions, let me identify some of these values and how they have helped entrench him as a leader that people celebrate lavishly on his birthday even in his absence. For instance , yours truly as a routine celebrates him with PR pieces on his birthdays. And being someone who has been reporting him to the public for years through the medium of writing, my knowledge of him and the values that define his life is vast. As I take them, I will offer some explications on some while I may mention others in sets to avoid boring the reading public.
The first noticeable attribute in Senator Akpabio is his humility. This is seen in his open display of warmth towards everyone who comes across him. He is friendly, genial, convivial and accords regards to people around him, not minding the social disparity. Mathew 23: 12 avers that “those who humble themselves will be exalted”. The deduction is that those who are modest and serve others will be honoured by God . We have seen that in Akpabio’s relationship with God and how He has promoted him beyond the expectations of his traducers.
Forgiveness is one gift God has blessed Senator Godswill Akpabio with. He forgives easily and does not allow himself to be bogged down with bearing grudges and keeping malice. There are a plethora of verses in the Scripture which insist on forgiveness. Akpabio has internalized the ideals of forgiveness and he practices it with an assiduous commitment. After all it is said that forgiveness is an attribute of the strong with the converse being that the weak cannot forgive.
One other value that seems to be part of Akpabio’s DNA is love for God and the fear of Him. Those who do not know may think that it is the normal pretensions of some elites who verbalize the name of God in vain to gain public trust. But not Akpabio whose love for God flows from his heart with intense passion. It is why he ascribes all the successes recorded in his life to God and attributes all achievements to Him.
Generosity which Akpabio expresses through giving is one value that has opened doors for him . Besides the Scripture which posits in Luke 6: 38: “Give and it will be given to you……” secular opinions have also elucidated on the value of giving. Some opine that when you give , you open up a receptacle to be given, giving vent to the phrase: “Givers never lack”. Senator Akpabio has the gift of giving and he exercises it generously.
The President of the 10th Senate is also well known to be inculcated with compassion and empathy. In fact many believe that his life is guided more by these values. Having gone through a life of acute privation, he is always full of empathy for people in difficult situations. His innate compassion often activates the empathy for consequential action which is helping others.
The former governor of Akwa Ibom State is also an embodiment of honesty and integrity which are values that are used in building public trust. Leadership is trust and when there is a trust deficit, leadership loses followership. People follow Akpabio because they trust his leadership and have implicit faith in the assumption that he is hands on in the leadership journey. Facts on this conviction are abundant for citing, especially the ones in the recent past .
The above brings us to an important value that is again ingrained Akpabio’s DNA which is courage. He is bold and daring and takes a plunge at where angels fear to tread. It was courage that goaded him into a party primary in 2007 where he traded tackles with 57 other formidable aspirants for the governorship ticket. Indeed nothing he has ever sought for has ever come easy but he always has the courage to fight for it. He is endowed with a resilient spirit.
Senator Akpabio has an altruistic nature that tilts his tendencies to public good. He believes that all human actions especially those of leaders should be directed at alleviating burdens and promoting happiness for the vast majority of people. It is why he is often associated with people’s centric policies and decisions.
When one aggregates all the values isolated above, one can readily see why his political journey is unique. Apart from the human factor which borders on nursing ambition and ramping up the ambition with action, his journey is covered by grace because the originating intent is to serve the people. It is therefore considered as righteous action and all righteous actions enjoy divine guidance.
Akpabio’s brand of politics is an inspiring story of tenacity and faith. From a humble beginning, be has ballooned into a huge phenomenon generating public interest in anything that concerns him. His birthday today is not different as his mentes and and a vast swathe of beneficiaries of his expansive benevolence celebrate a man who has touched their lives in immense proportions . It is a deserving celebration.
As a politician, Akpabio should remember the words of William Shakespeare in the book Hamlet : “Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shall not escape calumny”. I would therefore at a time like this encourage the distinguished President of the Senate to familiarize himself with Pauline Peters prayers: “Lord when I am wrong, make me willing to change, when I am right, make me easy to live with. So strengthen me that the power of my example would far exceed the authority of my rank”.
Happy birthday distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON. May you enjoy many more returns of the day in good health and sound mind.