The Kind of Chairman that Obubra needs in 2020 By Eriacy Confidence.

The Kind of Chairman that Obubra needs in 2020

Eriacy Confidence
Publisher
Coneri Magazine

While we applaud the Governor of Cross River State, Sen Ben Ayade for his decision to conduct LG Elections in the state and for the ongoing peaceful processes in selecting the flagbearers for the various parties participating in the race; and while the battle for who becomes the next Chairman of Obubra begins and thickens with politicians willing and ready to use their little resources, education and connections to convince, confuse, deceive and intimidate the electorates into voting them, we must not forget the challenges facing the Obubra people and the kind of chairman the LGA needs to surmount them.

Obubra is one of the oldest Local Government Areas in Nigeria, created in 1902 as a British administrative District with administrative tentacles spread across present day Obubra, Yakurr, Ikom, Boki, Etung, Biase Abi LGAs and the second Administrative Division to be created in Cross River region after Calabar division. But the present Obubra comprised predominantly of the Mbembe Speaking people and sub groups of other larger nationalities such as Yala and Igbo is situated in the Central Senatorial District of Cross River State with a total landmass of 1,115KM Square and projected population of 220,000 with Eleven Council wards and over 87 autonomous and semi autonomous Communities. It is bounded in the North by Yala and Ikom LGAs, South by Yakurr LGA, East by Akamkpa and Etung LGAs and West by Ebonyi state.

It has huge human and material resources with very fertile soil for  mechanised Agriculture. It is the major producer of garri and rice in Cross River State. It also has great cultural and tourism potentials with the biggest Fishing Festival in the South of Nigeria celebrated in the northern part of the LGA.  It has beautiful beaches, waterfalls, islands, forest, stone monoliths and a rich cultural heritage.

One would expect that, as an LGA that is second in the entire Cross River State and a progenitor to the now fasted growing towns of Ugep and Ikom, endowed with all these human and material resources, Obubra would be a highly developed metropolis now but it is sad that it is still battling with the problem of identity and development.

You would agree with me that over the years, Obubra has suffered the menace of under development primarily as a result of bad leadership. This is not to say that there have not been efforts s at initiating meaningful development in the area. But these good efforts have often been thwarted by the epidemics of corruption and mismanagement of resources. This attitude of squandering resources meant for the development of the area has over time become a norm by successive Chairmen and this has left Obubra in a pitiable state of gross under development, abject poverty, high spade of violence and insecurities,  and economic and political marginalization in the state and beyond.

Now as  parties  field in candidates for 2020 Chairmanship race, our people must not forget to elect a chairman with the  skills and tools to fix the LGA into a prosperous political and economic entity.

Having discovered that Obubra is suffering from leadership sickness, it will be wise to:

Allow the masses who are the major recipients  of leadership to decide who becomes their leader in 2020.  Imposition of candidate on the majority is not only archaic, anti democratic and counter productive but also instigates the masses against their leaders. Preventing the emergence of the most popular aspirant or candidate is a trailing evil in Africa. This in all fairness cripples the economy of any society.
We need to allow independent aspirant or candidate to emerge. By independent, I mean an aspirant or candidate who is not hand picked or sponsored by a few selfish politicians who benefit from oppressing the interests of the masses and then remute their political boys up and down to take decisions. This has been the Obubra problem.Time to end this menace has come. Let's join our hands to stop it...

To be continued...