Lessons from Attah : Architect of a New Democratic Dawn

By Dr Udeme Nana 

The biography of the Akwa Ibom born Democrat, respected Patriot, former President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects , former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, a man widely acknowledged as the Senior Advocate of Resource control, True federalism and celebrated by former President Goodluck Jonathan as the South South Governor who led the line in the fight for the payment of 13% derivation funds to oil bearing States in the Nigeria was launched in Abuja on Thursday, 20 November last year as part of the events to mark the outspoken titan’s 87th birthday.

The planning of the successful ceremony was under the able Chairmanship of the bureaucrat and diplomat, the current President of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF,  His Excellency, Ambassador Godknows Igali who was assisted by men like His Excellency, Labaran Maku, CON former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State and former Minister for Information, Professor Tunde Esan, Otunba Supo Shonibare, Dr Jerry Nwohu and two women, Hon. Dr Stella Dorgu and Ms Ekaette Robson.

Many book reviews focus on the title, pagination, number of Chapters, Publisher, Author, themes, structure and technical faults but it is equally important to draw out lessons in books to attract readers, inspire and empower them especially if the subject of the Book, like in this case, is exemplary. Biographies are often written to reveal the life of the subject in raw form apart from serving as a family chronicle. In Attah: Architect of a New Democratic Dawn, written by Dr Dele Sobowale, readers will discover that a young Victor Attah, although born into a family that was one of the Joneses in Akwa Ibom State took his destiny into his own hands by hawking ngwo ngwo – small pieces of cooked meat – around the circus of Uyo in the 1940’s,  a location which he adopted as the centerpiece of his urban renewal project as Governor of Akwa Ibom State from  1999!

He actually redesigned the Ibom plaza as a flea market with hundreds of stalls to stop street trading by minors. His resort to hawking ngwo ngwo was typical of one with an activist DNA who would not throw up his arms in defeat when faced with an obstacle. The challenge that time, reared it’s head when their house – keeper left him and his junior brother without a “penny” to feed. Attah had to find a way out just as he worked out a solution,  when as Governor, President Olusegun Obasanjo denied his State allocations from the Federation Allocation Accounts Committee ( FAAC) because of Obasanjo’s designation of Akwa Ibom as a non littoral State underserving of the full payment of derivation funds as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution. During that time, the government of Akwa Ibom State was paid a miserly monthly hand – out of N600 million only by Chief Obasanjo’s Federal Government.

The seriousness with which Lagosians and perhaps the Yoruba race attach to their indigenous culture is captured in the Book by the story of a High Court judge who participated actively in an annual cultural show as a Masquerade. One imagines how dignified such a Masquerade would have gone about his outing along the streets. A lesson here is that our traditional Masquerades should be refined to present themselves majestically and honourably. The episode teaches that cultural plays are not exclusive to the dregs of society as professionals and respected high net worth individuals can also wear masks. On page 39, an Eyo Masquerade, after lifting his veil said to Attah’s eldest brother ‘go and report to the Police that I beat you. I am a Judge. They will bring your case to me’ !

The biography also sheds light on the strong bond in the extensive Attah family tree. A chapter titled ‘Sons rise in the East’ is devoted to the “Siblings like twins’ although Attah’s immediate elder brother, the world renowned pathologist, Professor Edward ‘B Attah, OON takes seventeen pages !

The life story reveals Obong Attah’s strategy for attracting a lady’s attention. Getting the attention of his late wife, Alison wasn’t a short walk in the park. He had to think outside the box before he successfully won her heart and subsequently, her hands in marriage. It is a timeless lesson which bachelors and anyone soliciting for the hand of a woman in love should adopt.

The book reveals Obong Attah as a bold and courageous person who speaks his mind once he is convinced about the correctness of his facts and rightness of a cause.  He doesn’t hide his punches and his strident, bold and insistent advocacy for True federalism, derivation, resource control in the face of stiff opposition brings that into sharp relief.

As a youth, he disagreed with his father and changed his Church denomination.  As a young student in Zaria, he fought for the rights of students even though he didn’t benefit from the reward of that fight and as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, he fought for the payment of 13% derivation funds to mineral bearing States in Nigeria without dichotomy. He fought for the abrogation of the onshore – offshore oil dichotomy. As a Professional Architect, he fought against the decision of the Management of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, to tamper with his architectural design of the headquarters complex of the Organization. He rather opted to lose his commission than compromise on the integrity of his own professional design.

The work presents Obong Attah as an ethical purist, a lover of his chosen field and one who is very proud and passionate about the professional standards of his profession. Little wonder he returned to practice his profession after serving for two terms in office as the executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Another lesson from the profile is how Obong Attah leveraged on his network and friendship with President Ibrahim Babangida for the creation of Akwa Ibom State and the site of Uyo as the capital city of the state. Relationships matter even in times of critical and momentous decisions.

Furthermore, the Book tells the story of Agriculture in Nigeria, the various plantations which his father,  as one of Nigeria’s pioneer experts in the field helped to nurture. Attah also took after his father as a big time farmer.  There’s a lesson in how Obong Attah’s personal investments in farming through his Alvita farms in Cross River State, long before he became a Governor, has evolved from the cultivation of pineapples, oil Palm, rubber, cassava and back to rubber plantations. The biography seems to promote the argument that Nigeria could do much better in agriculture.

In addition, the publication has shed light on the famous incident in the 1950’s where the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe lost out from emerging as the first Premier of Western Region. As captured on pages 30 and 31 of the Book ‘Azikiwe, could have contested the election into the parliament from the East, if he had wanted. But the NCNC was so sure of winning the election in the East, it was decided that Zik , as he was fondly called should contest in the West and become the Premier of Western Region.

According to the calculation, the NCNC would have controlled two out of three regions in Nigeria…the NCNC won by a wide majority in the East, but the election in the West failed to produce a clear winner between the three parties ; the Action Group, the NCNC and the Ibadan Peoples Party… Ibadan Peoples Party was led by Chief Adisa Akinloye, a scion of Ibadan ruling family…it was the coalition ; the Ibadan Peoples Party and the Action Group which gave Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Premiership. The often – told lie that Azikiwe was robbed of the Premiership of Western Region, after winning the election as Premier, was a deliberate falsehood….The carpet crossing, meaning the NCNC parliamentarians declaring for the AG, came afterwards as some of them sought to be appointed Ministers.

The Book disclosed that “Chief Adisa Akinloye, the man who altered the course of Western Regional political history… explained the entire episode in an interview he granted the Daily Times on Saturday, October 5, 1996 ! The full account is on page 31 of the Book.

Obong Attah’s biography has also revealed that a Public officer can ”fight” the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and claim victory if the public officer is spotless and on very solid ground. The appendixes on pages 351 – 363 of the account present documentary evidence of how Obong Attah fought the Federal Government and the EFCC in the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division and prevailed. He won the case and the Federal Government had to apologize to him ! That is a profound lesson in probity and accountability for political office holders because only one who has no skeletons in his cupboard would take on such a fight to clear his name and preserve his reputation.

Attah’s biography shows his deep faith in God. The Attah family prayer which is the first item in the Book seems to guide the Statesman throughout his exciting and purposeful trajectory in life. The family prayer helped to mould him and serves as his compass in life. That prayer is forged into his psyche.

Obong Victor Bassey Udo Adiaha Attah was born in Uyo, attended the Practicing School in Uyo in Akwa Ibom State. He proceeded to Calabar in the present Cross River State for his Secondary School education and then travelled up North to Zaria for training as an Architect. He honed his professional skills in the Americas and the United Kingdom before returning to set up his professional practice in Kaduna, once  the political heartbeat of Northern Nigeria. He moved to Lagos from where he joined the political train which culminated in his election as the second Civilian Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State in 1999.

At the presentation of the Book in the NAF Conference Centre Kado, Attah who had served as Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum drew a large number of his former brother Governors, political and professional associates , former appointees,  men and women of goodwill across the world to the event. A soundbite that will continue to resonate and remain as one of  Attah’s enduring legacies was the testimony by the Chairman of the occasion, Dr Goodluck Jonathan,  GCFR , former President of Nigeria who pointedly declared that the humongous billions which the State governments in the Niger Delta region and others are enjoying as derivation funds today is the outcome of Obong Attah’s bold fight for it’s implementation. The life history of Obong Attah is rich and a nice treasure to have in personal and public libraries.

It is recommended for students of history, political science, public administration,  politicians and the general public. Those who would like to model their lives after His Excellency, Obong Victor Attah should pick up the Book for inspiration. Published by Agbo Areo Publishers, Ibadan, the 437 pages Book is dedicated to the G-34, led by the late former Vice President of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ekwueme, GCON; who risked their lives to confront the late General Sani Abacha.

The well designed book has benefited from excellent editorial work.

Dr Udeme Nana, fnipr who served as Attah’s Media Adviser is the Founder of Uyo Book Club. He was the Secretary of the Planning Committee for the Book Launch