HRM (Dr) Etim Okon Edet is the Chairman of the Cross River State Traditional Rulers Council and doubles as the Paramount Ruler of Bakassi local government area. In this interview, the Royal father poured encomium on Governor Bassey Otu for his stellar performance within one year but advised the Governor not to listen to gossips if he must sustain the tempo. Excerpts:
Gov Bassey Otu is celebrating his one year in office on May 29, 2024. Do you think he has done well to warrant the celebration?
As you know, Governor Otu, popularly known as ‘Sweet Prince’ has performed above expectation. I don’t know who gave him the ‘Peoples First’ mantra and I think he is trying to put the mantra into effective use. He is improving on and building on the foundation laid by former Governor Ben Ayade’s legacy. The steps he has taken so far about the deep seaport points to that fact he is cementing the foundation laid by Ayade.
Gov Otu’s focus in one year is quite clear, and that is urban renewal. Look at our urban centres now wearing a new look. Work is going on everywhere as if somebody is going die or as if there will be no tomorrow. That is how a man of focus and integrity should work and that is what I like. He has done exceptionally well.
On the 29th, the Traditional Rulers Council will also mark his first year in office with special programme tagged ‘Thou Excelleth Them All.’ We shall talk to the press and do documentaries on the Governor. As we speak, our team are busy capturing the Governor’s strides across the State.
The State Council of Chiefs will invite him to come and address us even if it is for fifteen minutes and we shall use the occasion to tell him a few things that we feel should be strengthened.
It is good to do good. He was not up to twenty days in office when I approached him to appeal that the Council of Chiefs chambers be put in place, and he didn’t object. Today the State Executive Council is having its meetings there.
if you go there today, you will see a sound proof 50kva generator, the air condition units are all working, the public address system is there, in fact, everything is there. With the renovation work that is going on in his office, he needed to use a place that would accommodate his officials and because Council of Chiefs office has been put in order, Sweet Prince is having his EXCO meeting there.
The Governor is a visionary leader like myself. I make bold to say that I am a visionary leader. Some people want to be Chairman of State Traditional Council not knowing the position is beyond the boundaries of Cross River State.
Just this morning, the Sultan of Sokoto called. He usually addresses me as ‘Bakassi,’ since I am the Paramount Ruler of Bakassi too. That seat does not need a local person. Our traditional rulers must not be stupid people who are illiterates. I will not support anybody that is illiterate to be a Paramount Ruler or Clan Head because the moment you become a Clan Head, there is a tendency for you to become a Paramount Ruler.
People are just talking anyhow, and I’ve kept quiet. I don’t want to talk. I am the face of this state outside and as Paramount ruler of Bakassi, I keep the Bakassi question alive everywhere I travel to. The moment I am no more, Bakassi will not be remembered again so I am the face of Bakassi, face of Cross River, but people do not understand.
Governor Otu has the capacity. Since the day he was elected, I knew he will perform considering his track record in the past. I know nobody is perfect but so far for this one year he is working as if everybody is going to die, as if his tenure is ending tomorrow.
As you have rightly observed, nobody is perfect and so as a father what advice would you give to him to take his performance index higher?
Otu should not listen to gossips. That’s what Ayade did not do. When you tell him something, he would analyze it, and he had to listen to his attorney general and those who are to advise him.
There are greedy and very bad advisers around who are only looking for their pockets and so as a governor he should be able to detect. Some of these bad advisers do not want another person to come near the Governor
He should not listen to gossips and should pray very hard to the God of his fathers to help him to go ahead with what he is doing without listening to gossips and he should seek to stand for the oath he took to defend the constitution and all other laws. He should obey court orders too and govern by the rule of law to make him a darling of the judiciary
As he has started well, he should endeavour to run a government of the people for the people and not a necessarily, government of APC for the APC people. The Governor will succeed more if he considers himself Governor of all Cross River people and not of political party. There are many good people around in other political parties, he should use them just as President Bola Tinubu is trying to do at the centre for instance the appointment of Nyesom Wike As FCT Minister.
You said you want Governor to strengthen some things when he visits your Chambers on May 29. What are those things you want to tell the Governor to strengthen?
There are so many things that should be done in the traditional council and does not end with the renovation there are still quite a number of things for instance, he has to lift the traditional rulers of the State to be at par with their counterparts in other States. The difference between us and our counterparts is clear when you travel out for meetings.
If you enter their palaces, you’ll begin to wonder whether the palace is a presidential villa. This is done by their state government. The truth is that there is no palace in the whole of Cross River State. It is always shameful for people to come to Cross River and all they see as palaces are our individual efforts. Those are part of the things we will talk to the Governor on.
The traditional rulers are the owners of the state, any government that will raise the spirit of traditional rulers has raised the spirit of government. You may not understand but this is the truth. Let him raise our spirit and provide the physical support.
Is the issue of Bakassi dead finally?
The recovery of Bakassi into Nigeria is not possible again but the resettlement is that which has not been done and which Otu should pursue to a logical conclusion.
