The Empire Naija

  By Edet Okpo "Elections are over, and our kindred spirit must be renewed and deepened. We are all Akwa Ibomites first before politics. Politics therefore must not separate or sever the ties of our brotherhood and common heritage and aspirations, I pledge to you that I will be Governor for all Akwaibomites, irrespective of political persuasions or affiliations. I call on our people to come together, and let’s build a State where the pain of one Akwa Ibomite is the pain of all, and where the success of one Akwa Ibomite is the success for all. We have been too polarized by politics, This should not be" - Gov Umo Eno  The superscripted quote is an extract from the maiden speech of His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, on May 29, 2023. Because of our past, some persons then may have dismissed the governor's utterances as one of those things they've heard before from those in that position. How wrong they were! One recent happening that has launched the Governor on local, natio...

  By Edet Okpo With Senator Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan's antics in the Senate collapsing like a park of cards, it is expected that she has learnt her lessons beyond the shows she has put up. It is now more obvious that she was simply using the ploy to launder her ego and seek a celebrity status. Too bad.  If her cohort of advisers really loved her, they should first have advised her to go for tutelage as a trainee-comedian under one of the seasoned comedians in Nollywood, Nigeria’s bourgeoning film industry of all-comers and not to contest to become a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.! Alternatively, lady Natasha herself should have engaged some smart miscreants in motor parks in nearby Nyanya or Kwakwalada to train her on how to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create contents to entertain market women in Kogi Central District, her Constituency, which she had abandoned in preference for fake dramas of no consequence in the Hallowed Chamber.  Indeed, if Natasha’s...

  By Asuquo Edem  In a bid to ensure the safety of waste management workers in the State, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has advocated for the provision of Personal Protection Kits and free medical checks for these classes of workers. Following a report presented before the House today , Thursday by the member representing Okobo State Constituency,Hon. Bassey Bassey, the House also tasked the Ministry of Environment to synergize with the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA) and other relevant stakeholders, to put up an Executive Bill on environmental protection and waste management.  Hon. Bassey while decrying the exposure to health hazards by environmental workers especially those in waste collection due to none use of personal protective kits added that it was also imperative to provide these category of workers with free medical checks and treatment to enhance effectiveness and efficiency. While recommending for a revie...

  By Asuquo Edem  In it's avowed desire to position Akwa Ibom nay it's Indigenes benefit maximally from the the actualization of the Ibom Deep Seaport, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed a motion tasking the State Government to initiate programs for the training of skilled manpower in the maritime sector. This was contained in a motion presented before the House by the member representing Essien Udim State Constituency, Hon. Ukpong Akpabio during Plenary today Thursday. Hon. Akpabio in a Motion titled "Ibom Deep Seaport: Need For Anticipatory Long-term Investment In The Education And Training Of Indigenous Manpower In The Maritime Sector" while informing the House that Akwa Ibom State is endowed with huge maritime potentials with its 129 km Atlantic Coastline being the longest in the country and Gulf of Guinea stated that maritime potentials of the State hold huge economic opportunities in areas of commercial shipping and fishing operations as well as hydro-...

Member representing Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Ime Bassey Okon has presented a petition seeking the reinstatement of one of his constituents in Michael Okpara University. He presented the petition on the floor of the House earlier today, Wednesday, March 5, 2025, during plenary.  The federal lawmaker said the content prays for the reinstatement of his constituent, Daniel Etim Akpan, who was wrongfully dismissed from duty at Micheal Okpara University. "At today’s plenary, I presented a petition from one of my constituents, Daniel Etim Akpan, against the Michael Okpara University for wrongful termination of his appointment. He is praying for his reinstatement and the payment of his outstanding entitlements." #ItuIbionoIbomFederalConstituency #ImeOkonisWorking

  The Member representing Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ime Bassey Okon has sponsored a 4-Day medical and surgical outreach for constituents. As contained in a release from his office, the 4-Day free medical outreach will commence on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, through Friday, March 14, 2025, by 9:00am daily. The venue for Itu people will be at Primary Health Centre, Mbak Atai, Itu LGA, while that of Ibiono Ibom indigenes will be at Palmer Memorial Hospital, Ikot Usen, Ibiono Ibom LGA, all of Akwa Ibom State. The schedule is as follows, in Itu LGA, the event will hold at Primary Health Centre, Mbak Atai, Itu from March, 12 to 13, 2025, and at Palmer Memorial Hospital, Ikot Usen, Ibiono Ibom from March, 11 to 14, 2025  by 9:00 am daily. The free medical event will take place simultaneously in the two venues and will focus on general medical conditions, surgery, and eye checkups. Reading glasses will be ...

  By Edet Okpo It was a popular quote by a former American President, Woodrow Wilson and recent happenings in Oro Nation that perhaps sparked my interest in this article . Woodrow Wilson had charged his fellow compatriots: “We cannot be separated in interest or divided in purpose. We stand together until the end”.   The need and call for Oro Unity has never been demanding and necessary as vicissitudes of the moments have warranted. Apart from individual idiosyncrasy and preferences, there is nothing Oro Nation as a genealogical bloc of Akwa Ibom State and ethnic twig of Nigeria’s minorities does not have in common, to make it truly great. Oro Nation’s pathological, regenerative and inherited shared cardinal ideology for unity and growth is expressed in “Afangki”. This mantra has mutated or transmogrified to “Afangkism” as a school of thought that every aborigine of Oro freely endorses as article of socio-cultural membership. Those curious about Oro Nation’s linguistic cul...