Publisher of The Frontier, an upbeat online newspaper, Amb. Sunny Okim, has poured encomiums on Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State for recognising, encouraging and rewarding young talents in his state.
Okim was reacting to the news in the media yesterday whereby Sanwo-Olu, congratulated the best-graduating student, from Lagos State University, Aminat Yusuf, for achieving a remarkable feat of a CGPA of 5.00 (First Class Honours).
Okim said Sanwo-Olu, displayed the kind of virtues expected of a true leader with his words to the young Law graduate from Lagos State University.
“For recognising the uncommon feat of the young Law graduate from his state’s university, the governor has shown that he is a leader who recognises and rewards talents in his state. I understand the institution is also awarding the graduate half a million naira for the rare feat. That is the kind of encouragement expected of Nigerian leaders. I doff my hat for Governor Sanwo-Olu for this. With such encouragement, upcoming students in that institution and indeed all the institutions of learning in Lagos State, will work very hard, knowing that their hard work will be recognised by the authorities if they come out tops,” Okim stated.
The Akwa Ibom State-born veteran journalist on the other hand, slammed the immediate past governor of his home state, (Akwa Ibom), Mr Udom Emmanuel, who shunned a similar feat achieved two years ago in University of Uyo, by an indigene of Akwa Ibom State, his own daughter, Ikanna Okim.
Okim said, “My daughter broke a 36-year-old record in the University of Uyo two years ago. She was the very first Law student of that federal university to graduate with a First Class in Law. That uncommon feat set the internet on fire. All the media houses, including the BBC scrambled to interview my daughter. She went further last year to the Nigerian Law School and also bagged a First Class, but my then state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, paid deaf ears to such big achievements by a daughter of his state.
“Another daughter of the state, Chef Hilda Baci, has recently been celebrated worldwide for her exploits too, our then governor went to sleep inside the Government House erected with taxpayers’ money. Did you hear him say anything about it?”
“Some days back, a great Akwa Ibom son, Senator Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, emerged the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, up till this moment, Udom Emmanuel who was made governor by the benevolence of Akpabio, has not deemed it fit to send a common congratulatory message to Akpabio. Is that a leader?
“I must say that Udom Emmanuel’s administration was the worst ever in Akwa Ibom State. All he did was to make enemies, waste public funds on white elephant projects and surround himself with sycophants,” said Okim.
“Thank God that dark era is gone in Akwa Ibom, gone forever! I believe the present governor, Pastor Umo Eno, is more enlightened to know the right things to do in order to recognise and reward young talents as well as move the oil-rich state forward,” Okim added.
