…as Oku Ibom Ibibio hosts Uyo Senatorial District Transition Chairmen
By Ime Silas
The Transition Committee Chairman for Nsit Atai Local Government Council, Rt. Hon. Emem Ibanga said the women of Akwa Ibom Northeast (Uyo) Senatorial District were very happy with the Akwa Ibom State governor, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno for appointing three women as Transition Committee Chairmen in the Senatorial District.
Rt. Hon. Emem Ibanga was expressing her commendations while addressing newsmen on the sidelines of the visit to the Oku Ibom Ibibio IV and President-General, Akwa Ibom Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, His Eminence, Ntenyin Solomon Etuk, CFR by the members of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Uyo Senatorial District on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
Speaking on the significance of the visit, the Nsit Atai Council Chairman also stated that they were at the Akwa Ibom Patriarch’s Palace to appreciate him for the role he played towards their emergence and primarily to pay homage in the spirit of the New Year.
She said “Our coming here was primarily to pay homage to our revered father, the Oku Ibom Ibibio IV and President-General, Akwa Ibom Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, His Eminence, Ntenyin Solomon Etuk CFR. We were also here to thank him for the role he played towards our appointments as Transition Committee Chairmen.
“Most importantly too, our visit was to plead with him to thank one of his sons and governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno on our behalf, for finding us fit to be appointed as Transition Committee Chairmen. Also, as sons and daughters of Ibibio land who are Transition Chairmen today, we deemed it pertinent to come here to familiarize ourselves with His Eminence, the Oku Ibom Ibibio IV in order to make ourselves available for any errand.
Our father has reminded us today that as Transition Committee Chairmen of our respective local government councils in Uyo Senatorial District, we are the ambassadors of Ibibio. We are to ensure that we come and work for the overall benefit of Ibibio land and Akwa Ibom in general”.
On the appointment of women as Transition Committee Chairmen and other positions in the state, the Nsit Atai LG Boss expressed her delight that the governor’s gender-friendly actions had given women of Akwa Ibom State a voice in the scheme of things.
“As a woman, I feel proud to have up to three women appointed by His Excellency as Transition Committee Chairmen in Uyo Senatorial District alone. This is a welcomed gesture from the Governor to our women. We, the women are grateful and will continue to be grateful to His Excellency for his magnanimity.
Before now, they used to say that women don’t have voices. But today in Akwa Ibom, women don’t only have a say but their voices are being heard as they are now in positions of authority. Of course it is true that women always do better and that is what we are going to do to justify the confidence reposed in us”.
Our Correspondent reports that also in the entourage of the Uyo Senatorial District ALGON led by the Transition Chairman of Itu, Barr (Rt. Hon.) Etetim Onuk, to the Nsit Ubium Palace were two female transition Chairmen for Ibesikpo Asutan and Nsit Ibom, Hon (Mrs.) Akon Michael Asuquo and Hon. (Deaconess) Otobong Aaron, respectively.
Other Transition Chairmen were Hon. Uko Umoh (Etinan), Arch. (Hon.) Iniobong Orok (Nsit Ubium), Dr. Uwemedimo Udo (Uyo), Surv. (Hon) Iniobong Ekpenyong (Uruan), Hon. NsikanAbasi Ukobot (Ibiono).