The Cross River we must reconstruct – Wani Enang

 

“It is often said, you either accept situations the way they are, or accept the responsibility of changing them” for me, there is no greater challenge to picking and putting back pieces of your destiny together than the words above.


Today, I stand to reiterate my abiding faith in Cross River, indeed an audacious faith in the future of Cross Riverians… I refuse to accept the idea that as a people, we are unable to influence the events that are unfolding around us.
I refuse also to believe that Cross Riverians are tragically bound by the starless midnight of cultism, midnight gun shots, broad day brigandage, kidnapping and other forms of harassment and unending communal crises. From the islands of Bakassi to the mountains and grasslands of Obudu/Obanliku, the narrative is the same.

I do not believe that a bright daybreak of Peace, Security, and brotherly neighbourliness can never become a reality, I have the audacity too to believe that, Cross Riverians anywhere, whether in the capital city, urban, sub-urban or rural communities can go about their normal businesses without fear of harassment, intimidation and threats of war.

Fellow Cross Riverians, for me, more than ever before, I accept with pride and confidence the circumstances of accident of birth that bestowed on me the identity of a Cross Riverian.
Even as I write, my heart sorrowfully bleeds and my fingers tremble as I share in the psychological and emotional trauma of my brothers and sisters of Ofonekom, Idoru, and Ijitum communities etc in Obubra LGA who at the moment, are almost completely annihilated in a creative war with their wawa speaking neighbours of Ebonyi State.


Yes, creative war because there would have been an alternative instrument of addressing both the immediate and remote cause of this nightmarish tale, if the government had acted swiftly, other than taking up arm..

As it is in Obubra, I am not unmindful that somewhere in Odukpani, our Ikot Ekpo brothers bears the same faith with their Itu neighbours of our Akwa Ibom brothers, the Netim intra communal war and most recently Uyanga/Ojor communities.
I am equally not unmindful of the sneaky encroachment of the Tiv people of Benue state into our territorial boundaries at the Obudu axis of the state and how at intervals there have been reoccurring skirmishes..

The question is, when shall this long night of diminishing lives end?? When shall Cross River be truly free and secure again?? This is why we must all rise up and reconstruct a new Cross River, a Cross River where the heartbeat of government will be the security and prosperity of her people. We all have a role to play..

Today, I write with the minds of all the thinkers and believers of a new and possible Cross River, that are gradually igniting a new crusade that will soon propel that wind that will enthrone a reasonably responsible society, a society where cultism will not only be demystified but completely subdued and kidnapping not made a lucrative business, but both declared alien in the new Cross River we seek.
A Cross River where we will direct our financial and intellectual resources and energies towards fighting and bringing to an end the monstrous, debilitating and grinding poverty that afflict our people and chained has them to the lowest eb of the economic ladder.

If we must continue to maintain our civilize status among the committee of states, if we must key into the enterprise spirit to foster the development and well-being of our people, then the government must accept that her best has really not been best enough, and we the people must eschew violence in any degree and form, for violence and development are antithetical concepts..

We must reconstruct a new Cross River that will radiate hope and confidence on the minds Cross Riverians, a Cross River that would assure our people that we can still get it right.
We must make our people come to the realization that peace and brotherly coexistence are the drivers of transformational development.

This is the Cross River we must reconstruct!
A new Cross River is possible
#thinkcrossriver.
Wani Enang
Writes from Obubra.