History, a recall, remembrance and of course a statement of past events, facts as well as records of most current events both negative and positive has again been made in Rivers as it affects the Andonis, this time again for another positivity as the legislative arm of the tripod of governance is headed by an Andoni son in the person of Rt. Hon. Ikunyi-Owaji Ibani.
Issues Abattoir wishes to once again thank the state governor, His Excellency, Chief Barr. Hon. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for not only giving the legislators opportunity to do their chambers election but ensure senatorial character strived in the display and decentralization of positions in the state.
The governor has the power to turn down such election if he is not comfortable with but thanks be to God for the gesture by the governor.
It would be recalled that Issues Abattoir has earlier on Vol. 6. No. 17 dated April 30thMay 6th, 2015 in a piece entitle “The man whom the wig fits” made the prediction on where and who the speaker of the 8t Rivers Assembly would be, giving the order in the Assembly and as applying the state character policy.
That episode attracted several comments which off-course positive comments overweigh negative once. On fulfillment of the contents of that episode, certain readers equally called to commend the foresight and reasoning capability of Issues Abattoir particularly on political calculations.
To mention just few of those whose comments especially on the speakership of the 8th Assembly serves as energizer and lubricants, the likes of HRH B.M. Egopyork, the Okaan-Ama Oronija town in Andoni, Chief (Hon.) Jonah Allen Abbi, Chief (Hon.) U.J.H Offong, Mr. Gelstorpe Baridakara, Samuel Horsfal Briggs and several others whose names cannot be exhausted in this episode. Your encouragement is a booster.
In the past eight years of the current Political dispensation, the Obolo nation has future prominently in terms of appointive and elective positions in the State. There have been appointments before the current dispensation, yet seems unnoticeable or does not equate the roles played by the Andonis in the Process of developing the state, save when it had the deputy governor and now the speaker of the State Assembly.
Andoni is believed to be on a fast lane of history giving the fact that her efforts, contributions and participation in the past dispensations are yielding the needed results now.
While Andoni occupied the second position of Deputy Governor in the State from 2007 through 2015, the 7th Assembly also had Andoni as the Chief Whip of the legislative assembly and now the head or Speaker of the 8th Assembly.
It is on record however, without fear of contradiction that Rt. Hon. Ikunyi Ibani’s tenure in the Rivers State Assembly had brought a sense of belonging to the people of Andoni as certain developmental projects were embarked upon against his predecessors who never taught in that direction.
In Ataba Kingdom some of the most needed projects though not enough were embarked on; construction of a six classroom blocks, pier latrine and construction of Ukpo road while Ukwa town has a concrete road to the credit of Rt. Hon. Ibani. Other communities such as, Inyon-Orn and Ibot-Irem had concrete road and modern town hail under the tenure of Ibani. Another programme carried out by the Assembly man was the empowerment of women and youths with some sewing machines and motor cycle for youths.
Indeed, Ibani is the only Andoni representative who has served for two and off-course three tenures in the assembly.
Expectations of the state as well the Andonis are already high pointing to the development of the State which Andoni is among the major groups.
Andoni as an entity without mincing words is underdeveloped, especially the deliberate action of the immediate past governor Amaechi for not completing the unity road which is of immense importance to the people.
What the Andonis expects is not less than quality infrastructure, better living condition and involvement in the driving process for the development of Rivers State.
Complete turn around of the battered face of Andoni nation would go along way to demonstrate the new face of marriage between Andoni and Rivers State.
In the next four years, Andoni people expect unemployment to be reduced at least to the barest minimum in the land. Giving employment rate in Rivers, Andoni indigenes are the least by every standard; hence every positive approach to ensure employment of the people should be vigorously pursued by the speaker to write his name on gold.
For Andoni to be on the positive path of the history again demands everything positive for the people, because posterity would question all including the speaker on what impact he has made during his tenure in the Assembly.
Issues Abattoir says, let regret an elder brother of Mr. too late be buried now while the speaker settles down to work and off-course represent Andoni responsibly in the state.
It is also the suggestion of Issues Abattoir that all infractions be jettison for good and posterity sake.
With James Mgboineme
jamesthenewswriter@gmail.com.
