Israel Umoh
The D-day was colourful. In fact, impacting and remarkable. Expectations were high. Air of despondency enveloped the atmosphere. In a frenzied manner, the ceremony beckoned. And the ambience was ecstatic and stuffy.
It was the official launch and presentation of cheques to 1,000 beneficiaries of the N1 billion Family-based Grant floated by Rt. Hon. Unyime Idem, the member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
To the beneficiaries, the reality dawned on them as soon as ushers rolled out printed copies of programme of the day’s proceedings. The atmosphere was charged. Apprehension rose. Like pupils waiting for result of the terminal examination from their headmasters, the 1,000 beneficiaries were at unease, and scrambled for copies to see if their names were published or not. Telephones buzzed. Many rushed, ‘seized’ copies and flipped open to know if they have made the list of beneficiaries. Others mounted pressure on the ushers to give them copies. Eventually, their anxiety eased off and they relaxed.
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Sitting close to me, one middle-aged man picked his phone and responded to a caller: ‘’Yes, I have seen your name.’’ Another woman responded: ‘’Wait, I have not seen your name yet o. But, can you come around and see it for yourself.’’ Tension filled the air. Near-stir atmosphere crept in. Shuttles of shoes ripped the cacophonous arena caused by the large-sized speakers oozing out sound from the musical equipment.
The Chief Host gently sneaked in in a mufti to ascertain the state of readiness. Suspense hung as some beneficiaries and guests seated and those trooping into the arena but closer to him cast gaze on him.
By 7 a.m., 3 Barracks Road, Ukanafun was washed by vehicular and human traffic. Policemen barricaded the entrance of the road with corrugated iron to check against chaotic but dizzying traffic. Both walls of the road entering through Ekparakwa-Ukanafun-Aba Federal Highway were emblazoned with posters, particularly: Launch and presentation of cheques to 1,000 beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope/Arise Agenda. Adjacent the venue is Police Station, Ukanafun, and opposite the venue is Unyime Idem’s Skills Acquisition/Entrepreneurial Centre. The snaky road leads to Idung Eka Uyo Village.
From the main entrance of the federal highway is a posh but magnificent house abutting the Reception Ground. At the entrance to the venue were rug green and red carpets arrayed on the ground to beautify the arena. At the left hand, sea of heads filled the conical tent. On the right hand were tents that were equally filled. On the middle was a platform adorned with red carpet snaking through overflow to the VIPs stand. The VIP stand was a toast to behold with tastefully designed seats of different makes seated at the heavily built tent. Police mounted barricade to control surging crowd emptying into the excluded area meant for VIPs and the rostrum.
Some years ago, Ukanafun was a theatre of war and insecurity caused by criminals elements. Barracks Road that hosted the Saturday’s party was not spared. Men and women fled the area in droves. Markets were closed. Shops were locked. Both private and public secondary, primary and nursery school were closed. Pubs were abandoned. Some people were kidnapped and ransoms paid. Some women are raped and others hacked to death for unjust reason. Many compounds grew tall weeds. Village pathways turned to forsaken paths. Yet, the empowerment scheme, in a blaze of glory, relived the gory incidents and brought hope and joy to bear on the sad but past memory that caused desertion in the area.
However, the sad story has changed today as peace has returned to the once-insecure but bastardised area. And the event helped to change the narrative as the residents and indigenes go about their businesses unperturbed.
Funny enough, the Protocol Units of Vice President Kashim Shettima and Governor Umo Eno represented by Senator Akon Eyakenyi, Deputy Governor, arranged and re-arranged seats for hours in a ceremony that was to last less than two hours. They brought out labels, pinned to chairs and re-ordered seats to no avail. They ordered guests to leave some seats and brought others to occupy the rest. And the long-tailed protocol arrangements dilly dallied.
The high decibel speakers spewing out from the large-sized speakers warmed the tense atmosphere. As the ceremony dragged for official opening for waiting for Very Important Persons (VIPs) to declare it open, some indigenous musical stars took over and dished out romantic songs in praise of Rep Idem, the main character of the event. Another filler of the event was an emergency dancing competition that produced a winner who went home with N20,000. Cultural groups springing from women, youths and other social groups arrived with their banners to spice the tension-soaked ceremony.
Few minutes past one O’clock, some members of the the House of Representatives led by Hon. Ben Kalu and escorted by Rep Idem marched to the covered arena and took their seats. Not long, the 20 members from Lower Chamber marched out and escorted Vice President Kashim Shettima who breezed into the venue by 1.55 p.m. Joined in the entourage was Obongemem Ekperikpe, the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas). Dignitaries were not in short supply. The anxious-looking crowd surged to welcome the ‘December’ visitor. He briskly walked in, waving at the excited crowd that endlessly cheered and howled him.
The ceremony then peaked. The Master of Ceremonies (MC) welcomed all to the event. Bishop Emma Isong, President of Christian Central Chapel International, Calabar offered the opening prayers. ‘‘Thank for Nigeria. Thank you for hope of Nigeria. Thank you for President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, Governor Umo Eno, and Deputy Governor. ..’’ the Bishop prayed and everybody chorused ‘‘Amen!’’
Selected Ukanafun women attired in green wrapper, blouse and head-tie rendered the welcome song. Guests continued to exchange pleasantries and banters with one another. And the venue steamed with babel of voices. Angry sun shone peeling sweats from obtuse and oblong faces and soaking shirts and dresses.
Vice President Shettima bantered by shouting Annang mma! Idung Isong! This drew a resounding applause from the teeming crowd, thereby striking cord of cordiality and familiarity with the genial people.
The excited Shettima hailed Rep Idem for his magnanimous gesture that aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu in the areas of economic empowerment and job creation, support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises as catalysts to stimulate local commerce, reduction of multidimensional poverty and expanding social protection, and encouraging public-private and legislative partnership.
“The initiative also portrays deep synergy between the Bola Tinubu administration and government institutions, legislators, private actors, and community stakeholders to achieve inclusive development,” the happy looking politician noted.
The Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, full of praises commended him for always providing tangible dividends of democracy to the people of Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency.
Eyakenyi, who represented Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno, congratulated Idem whom the Governor usually addresses as ”China Man” for his impacting his constituents, pledging the state government’s support for him to continue to touch lives.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, Ph.D., represented by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, leading a delegation of 20 members of the National Assembly to the event, congratulated Rep Idem for the gesture, pledging their unalloyed support to him.
Though the microphone hindered him for making full speech, he stood there and gyrated to the tuneful music of the D.J, before he moved to his coveted seat.
Senator Effiong Bob, the Chairman of the Occasion, acknowledged Idem’s impact to the grassroots, saying ”You can see the number of people and how much he has impacted his constituents severally. It is because our state which is APC state is strong and reliable he has done so much to bring people together.’’
Elated Rep Idem outlined the benefits of the initiative to include empowering farmers, businesses, start-ups, women-led enterprises, young entrepreneurs, family cooperatives and community-based ventures.
Idem announced that he had sponsored 100 people to China and Rwanda for human empowerment, facilitated employment of 100 into Federal Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs), hoping that in the next 10 or 15 years they would occupy position of authority at the Federal level.
The performing member in the Green Chamber hoped that the initiative would stimulate grassroots economic activity, improve household income, create jobs and youth engagement and trigger a ripple effect of opportunity across our constituency.
Surrounded by members of the Central Planning Committee, Hon. Saturday Akpan, the Committee Chairman, said on 10 August, 2025, Idem constituted and inaugurated the committee for the two local government areas, four observers and 24 media men to cover the process.
According to him, the committee toured 160 gazetted villages of Oruk Anam and 87 villages of Ukanafun, covering over 3,000 families in both local government areas.
Though the event had ended, Idem’s N1 billion grant has rekindled hope for 1,000 beneficiaries and will remain evergreen in the minds of many especially the less privileged looking for small capital to start petty businesses.
