Reverend Faith Thomas, author of the memoir on the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah said the book was not only aimed to gazette the activities of the former governor while in office for eight years, but to provide a platform where the present governments as well as the successive ones would draw an inspiration and reference to address the challenges they may encounter in governance.
In a pre launch chat with journalists in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital at the weekend, Thomas said the book entitled, “Eight Years of Victor Attah in Akwa Ibom State, a Memoir for Posterity,” which comprises 308 pages and 44 chapters had inputs from stakeholders and close allies of the former governor such as Professor Akpan Ekpo, Senators Effiong Bob and Udo Udoma among others.
He noted that the memoir was written at this critical period to challenge politicians to read and see the need to lead a fair, focused and detribalized government devoid of sharp practices.
Recalling on how ex governor Attah fought for resource control during president Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration for the state, the Author said the huge allocations the state enjoys thereafter was as a result of Attah’s doggedness saying there was need to reawaken those exploits through a book so that successive governments can borrow a leaf.
His words, “this is a definitive publication gazetting the administrations of Victor Attah from electioneering to leaving office. He was a diehard fighter for us. If he were to be a coward we wouldn’t have enjoyed what we are enjoying today. Most of the core projects successive governments built on were designed by Obong Attah. He stood his ground despite what Obasanjo did to him. He did not only fight for the economy of the state, he laid foundation, politically, economically even academically when he said every child in Akwa Ibom must go to school. It is based on that I decided sincerely to write a book.”
Speaking on the sideline, Spokesperson of Obong Victor Attah during his tenure, Dr. Udeme Nana, said a book on Obong Attah’s administration is a welcome addition to the literature of development in the State.
According to him, “Attah visualized. He designed. He created and stamped his vision on the ground. Successive administrations all followed his well outlined vision and added theirs. The Roads, the Airport, The Hotel, The Golf Course, The State Secretariat Complex, Human Capital development – students, public servants, Social – Re – orientation, The economic health of the State and innumerable Contributions. A policy like the Inter – Ministerial Direct Labour Agency. He instituted the monthly prayer sessions.The payment of WAEC / NABTEB examination fees for Students.”
Dr Nana said if Nigerian government can adopt some of the idealogies put up by Obong Attah, myriads of challenges bedeviling the economy would be mitigated.
“If Nigeria as a nation was able to embrace all the ideas propagated by Obong Attah, it would have been better organized and run, for instance in practice of true federalism, he has been emphasizing on the need for devolution of powers to the federating units. He believes that it is too costly to extend the practice of federalism to the local government councils.
“Even the issue of fiscal federalism, all the states in Nigeria is endowed with natural resources that is why in Zamfara state people are fighting for gold and other precious metal, he believes that if states are empowered by law to take care of their natural resources and pay taxes to the centre, it will reduce the fights where multinationals are mining gold secretly,and reduce insecurity and other economic issues we are facing, that is what happened when Nigeria practiced regional government, during that time you see that development was faster, different regions like the eastern, western , northern region developed at their pace and there was competition, therefore, that is what Nigeria truly needs.”
