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| Mr. Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom State SSG |
THE GOD FACTOR IN UDOM'S ASPIRATION
By Aniekeme Finbarr
God has been in the business of establishing leadership and saving nations since biblical times. In the past centuries, God has intervened in miraculous circumstances to save countries when their leaders recourse to him as their last and only hope for success. Two quick examples from the 19th and 20th century would suffice.
On the 30th of March, 1863, against the backdrop of a divisive and bloody war that set the United States of America on the brink of collapse. President, Abraham Lincoln employed the most unusual strategy – he
declared a national day of prayer and fasting. Mounting the rostrum he said: “…let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering
Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.” The American Civil War, which had dragged on for two years, came to a halt shortly thereafter and peace and progress returned to the nation.
Also, in 1940 in Britain, a moment that could be described as one of the darkest in the history of the British people. More than 300,000 troops found themselves pinned down in northern France with Nazi forces bearing down on them. The British soldiers had insufficient ammunition and supplies and, leaving them vulnerable to attacks from Hitler’s forces. Britain faced imminent annihilation. Winston Churchill, at his wits end, turned to God and requested King George the VI to call Britain to a National Day of Prayer.
Oh, that glorious Sunday, May 26 1940, British people showed up at churches all over the country. There were queues to Westminster Abbey. The churches were full with men and women of different social strata: royalty, high profile politicians and the general populace. They prayed and begged for the Lord’s mercy on their fathers and sons on the front lines, and for their national survival. And the Lord heard those heartfelt prayers and responded with what became known as “the miracle at
Dunkirk.”
Hitler inexplicably delayed giving his generals the order to finish off the British soldiers. A great storm over Germany prevented Nazi planes from taking off. The British people quickly assembled some 900 fishing boats, yachts, trawlers, and other private and government vessels, and began ferrying the troops from the French beaches and back to England a few at a time. By the grace of God, nearly a third of a million souls were saved as a result, as was the British nation.
The two leaders in the foregoing accounts are heroes of history. Their leadership models have been the subject of books and countless studies. Separated by centuries and situated in two different continents, they faced similar challenges that imperiled their respective nations and defied their human capacity. Pressed for solutions they turned to God, and the result was the preservation of entire nations and the reversal of what would have been the destruction of entire generations.
Nigerian political consultants’ hardly explicitly list the God factor in political strategies yet increasingly, the Nigerian political scene is succumbing to the ultimate power of the creator in making and unmaking political fortunes.
In 1998, a military dictator in the country died so suddenly that many believed God indeed delivered the nation from his brutal rule. The Nigerian history has always hinted at the God factor, especially at every critical stage of the nation’s political life. At every point of plunging into the abyss, divine intervention always saves the nation. Divine direction as a factor in political ambition is increasingly becoming a de facto issue in the nation’s politics. The death of President Umaru Yar’Adua dramatically changed the political direction and tone of the nation’s power establishments. What analysts never envisaged was enforced in a national leadership crisis that took the nation by storm. That incident transformed the powerful into the powerless. A former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, pundits say would not have been in prison if Umaru Yar’Adua had not died. A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, now a Twitter politician, would have remained as powerful as ever. Ex-militants who are now playing big roles would have remained in rehabilitation camps. The God factor.
The life of the incumbent president is also described as God’s surprising elevation. The President, in appreciation of that reality, has continuously knelt before men of God for prayers in front of the camera. Across the states, divine intervention is also dictating trends of politics. In one fell swoop, the death of Governor Ibrahim Patrick Yakowa poured cold water on the boiling political water of Kaduna State. The rampaging Northern Kaduna people suddenly had to sheathe their swords. The present Governor, indeed, acknowledged the God factor as his confession confirmed. There are so many examples I cannot state here for lack of space.
What then has God in store for Akwa Ibom State in 2015? As Governor Akpabio's second term got underway in 2011, the polity experienced a quiet yet big war as to who will succeed the Governor in 2015. The then deputy governor and SSG were running neck to neck in the poll of public opinion. Pundits say that war lead to the former's resignation and very shocking too the latter's abrupt exit. A few more gladiators rumbled in government circles and one after the other were shown the exit.
And in God's typical mysterious way came one Udom Emmanuel like biblical David when Jesse had paraded his finest sons. He came and his RIGHT foot fitted nicely in the 2015 shoes and with leadership credentials that far outweighs the others. He comes too from the RIGHT senatorial district to produce the next Governor. By his strides and accomplishments, even at such a comparatively young Davidic age, he has what it takes to match the desire and the competence to accomplish tremendous achievements.
What are the Godly leadership traits in Udom? Udom is a man that is naturally loved and admired by people; a fine democrat and pivot of mass mobilization; a man who achieves greatness through his assiduousness , self- will and sheer determination. He is a good listener; a man that remains unruffled even at the height of unwarranted intimidation and provocation; a man with critical thinking skills. His edge is his integrity and technical skills to handle those challenging assignments, fiscal matters, policies, plans, projects, ideas and initiative solutions to problems. Integrity is the consistency of actions, methods, measures, values, principles, expectations and outcomes.
Despite the obvious God factor in this project, Udom Emmanuel's ride on the cart of destiny is not expected to be entirely hitch-free. You cannot toss a raft on high tide and expect that it would glide seamlessly on its swift waves. The mission is so sacred that the vicissitudes and dynamism of politics cannot stop it. It is a mission to create and sustain wealth in every home in Akwa Ibom State. A mission to prudently manage Akwa Ibom's huge resources.
By Aniekeme Finbarr
God has been in the business of establishing leadership and saving nations since biblical times. In the past centuries, God has intervened in miraculous circumstances to save countries when their leaders recourse to him as their last and only hope for success. Two quick examples from the 19th and 20th century would suffice.
On the 30th of March, 1863, against the backdrop of a divisive and bloody war that set the United States of America on the brink of collapse. President, Abraham Lincoln employed the most unusual strategy – he
declared a national day of prayer and fasting. Mounting the rostrum he said: “…let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering
Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.” The American Civil War, which had dragged on for two years, came to a halt shortly thereafter and peace and progress returned to the nation.
Also, in 1940 in Britain, a moment that could be described as one of the darkest in the history of the British people. More than 300,000 troops found themselves pinned down in northern France with Nazi forces bearing down on them. The British soldiers had insufficient ammunition and supplies and, leaving them vulnerable to attacks from Hitler’s forces. Britain faced imminent annihilation. Winston Churchill, at his wits end, turned to God and requested King George the VI to call Britain to a National Day of Prayer.
Oh, that glorious Sunday, May 26 1940, British people showed up at churches all over the country. There were queues to Westminster Abbey. The churches were full with men and women of different social strata: royalty, high profile politicians and the general populace. They prayed and begged for the Lord’s mercy on their fathers and sons on the front lines, and for their national survival. And the Lord heard those heartfelt prayers and responded with what became known as “the miracle at
Dunkirk.”
Hitler inexplicably delayed giving his generals the order to finish off the British soldiers. A great storm over Germany prevented Nazi planes from taking off. The British people quickly assembled some 900 fishing boats, yachts, trawlers, and other private and government vessels, and began ferrying the troops from the French beaches and back to England a few at a time. By the grace of God, nearly a third of a million souls were saved as a result, as was the British nation.
The two leaders in the foregoing accounts are heroes of history. Their leadership models have been the subject of books and countless studies. Separated by centuries and situated in two different continents, they faced similar challenges that imperiled their respective nations and defied their human capacity. Pressed for solutions they turned to God, and the result was the preservation of entire nations and the reversal of what would have been the destruction of entire generations.
Nigerian political consultants’ hardly explicitly list the God factor in political strategies yet increasingly, the Nigerian political scene is succumbing to the ultimate power of the creator in making and unmaking political fortunes.
In 1998, a military dictator in the country died so suddenly that many believed God indeed delivered the nation from his brutal rule. The Nigerian history has always hinted at the God factor, especially at every critical stage of the nation’s political life. At every point of plunging into the abyss, divine intervention always saves the nation. Divine direction as a factor in political ambition is increasingly becoming a de facto issue in the nation’s politics. The death of President Umaru Yar’Adua dramatically changed the political direction and tone of the nation’s power establishments. What analysts never envisaged was enforced in a national leadership crisis that took the nation by storm. That incident transformed the powerful into the powerless. A former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, pundits say would not have been in prison if Umaru Yar’Adua had not died. A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, now a Twitter politician, would have remained as powerful as ever. Ex-militants who are now playing big roles would have remained in rehabilitation camps. The God factor.
The life of the incumbent president is also described as God’s surprising elevation. The President, in appreciation of that reality, has continuously knelt before men of God for prayers in front of the camera. Across the states, divine intervention is also dictating trends of politics. In one fell swoop, the death of Governor Ibrahim Patrick Yakowa poured cold water on the boiling political water of Kaduna State. The rampaging Northern Kaduna people suddenly had to sheathe their swords. The present Governor, indeed, acknowledged the God factor as his confession confirmed. There are so many examples I cannot state here for lack of space.
What then has God in store for Akwa Ibom State in 2015? As Governor Akpabio's second term got underway in 2011, the polity experienced a quiet yet big war as to who will succeed the Governor in 2015. The then deputy governor and SSG were running neck to neck in the poll of public opinion. Pundits say that war lead to the former's resignation and very shocking too the latter's abrupt exit. A few more gladiators rumbled in government circles and one after the other were shown the exit.
And in God's typical mysterious way came one Udom Emmanuel like biblical David when Jesse had paraded his finest sons. He came and his RIGHT foot fitted nicely in the 2015 shoes and with leadership credentials that far outweighs the others. He comes too from the RIGHT senatorial district to produce the next Governor. By his strides and accomplishments, even at such a comparatively young Davidic age, he has what it takes to match the desire and the competence to accomplish tremendous achievements.
What are the Godly leadership traits in Udom? Udom is a man that is naturally loved and admired by people; a fine democrat and pivot of mass mobilization; a man who achieves greatness through his assiduousness , self- will and sheer determination. He is a good listener; a man that remains unruffled even at the height of unwarranted intimidation and provocation; a man with critical thinking skills. His edge is his integrity and technical skills to handle those challenging assignments, fiscal matters, policies, plans, projects, ideas and initiative solutions to problems. Integrity is the consistency of actions, methods, measures, values, principles, expectations and outcomes.
Despite the obvious God factor in this project, Udom Emmanuel's ride on the cart of destiny is not expected to be entirely hitch-free. You cannot toss a raft on high tide and expect that it would glide seamlessly on its swift waves. The mission is so sacred that the vicissitudes and dynamism of politics cannot stop it. It is a mission to create and sustain wealth in every home in Akwa Ibom State. A mission to prudently manage Akwa Ibom's huge resources.
A mission to govern Akwa Ibom State with the fear of God and unite all ethnic blocks and divisions. A mission to place Akwa Ibom State on the world map as a place where her citizens have the enabling environment to thrive and do business. A mission to improve the education of the children of the state with emphasis on higher training in relevant disciplines. A mission to inspire hope for innocent defenceless children and joy for the senior citizens. GOD has sighted a David in the Jesse (Eket) Senatorial District. He will be King!
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