It was yet another day of honour for Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday as Leadership newspaper bestowed the Governor of the Year Award for 2024 on Gov. Umo Eno, bringing to two the number of such laurels in as many months. Thisday Newspaper/Arise News Group had in late January celebrated Pastor Eno as Governor of the Year 2024 in a big event in Eko Hotel Lagos. I couldn’t attend the Lagos event; so I was bent on being at the Leadership Conference & Awards at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa where the Akwa Ibom governor was decorated with five other governors. Other prominent citizens like Aliko Dangote; Adaora Umeoji, CEO of Zenith Bank; FCT Minister Nyesom Wike; Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and a few others were also celebrated by the newspaper. In a video recording of his citation played at the event, Gov. Eno was described as a visionary leader who is ‘’focused on food security, social empowerment, job creation and effective security management through his ARISE agenda’’. But because the governor was engrossed in his cabinet’s retreat in Lagos, it was Deputy Governor Akon Eyakenyi who attended the event and received the award on his behalf.

The Deputy Governor and her delegation later returned to Lagos to rejoin the retreat. She dutifully presented the plaque to the governor at the end of the retreat. The governor acknowledged the award and noted that he has received indications that more laurels were coming his way. He asked members of his team to redouble efforts in ensuring that Akwa Ibom people feel the impacts of good governance. Gov. Eno says the avalanche of accolades on him from several media and non media organizations meant that he was being more closely observed across the globe. 

Welcoming back the delegation from Abuja, the Governor said he took the difficult decision of not attending the award ceremony because of the high premium he placed on the ongoing retreat. He thanked the management of The Leadership Newspaper for finding him worthy. He said: “I was meant to be in Paris for a very important international engagement today, and I was also meant to be in Abuja for the Leadership Newspaper award. But I couldn’t attend any of them because this retreat is very serious business which we had already planned. I thank God for the award and it is to God’s Glory that we are being celebrated and honoured. 

“I dedicated the ThisDay/Arise News award to my predecessors, especially my political father, Deacon Udom Emmanuel, for identifying me and supporting me all the way. When I didn’t have confidence in myself, he stood by me and urged me on. A good child dances and receives accolades and brings honour to his parents. I dedicate this particular award to all members of our team, both past and present. It is a call for more work and I believe we all know that the world is watching us. God forbid we drop the ball, they are also watching,” the Governor added. On the deputy governor’s delegation to Abuja to receive the award were the Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah; Political Adviser to the Governor, Chief Godwin Ntukudeh; Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ekerete Udoh; House of Assembly Member for Nsit Ibom, Hon Eric Akpan and Mrs Owoidighe Ekpoattai, Honorary Special Adviser to the Governor.

An important part of the award ceremony was the key note speech given by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima on the theme ‘’The challenges and opportunities in Nigeria’s Fiscal Federalism’’. Represented by Dr. Aliyu Modibo Umar, a special adviser to the President, the VP noted that corruption and mismanagement of the country’s resources are Nigeria’s major problem - not absence of true federalism. He faulted the notion that Nigeria’s federalism was not working, and argued that there is no perfect federalism and each country’s federal arrangement is ‘’shaped by its history, culture and political experience’’. The VP buttressed his argument with some illustration. In Canada, for example, federalism emerged as a compromise linguistic groups. ‘’In Germany, the structure was initially so decentralized that consensus from all 16 Lander was required to pass national policies until reforms in 2006 shifted powers for greater efficiency. Spain, despite its fiscal concessions to regions like Basque Country and Navarre, still contends with separatist agitations’’, he said.