From INIOBONG SUNDAY, Uyo
For winning the fight for Resource Control leading to the institution of derivation funds, former Governor of Akwa Ibom State,
Obong Victor Attah, who turned 86 years old on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, has been applauded by his erstwhile cabinet members (1999 -2007), friends and associates.
It was during his special birthday Colloquium, organised by the Uyo Book Club, UBC, at Lord Lugard Hall, Warbridge Hotel, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Wednesday night.
For this and his other leadership ingenuities, which led to the enjoyment of the derivation funds by Oil producing states in the Niger Delta region, the President and founder of UBC, Dr. Udeme Nana, has called on governors in the region, to declare November 20 of every year as work – free day, in honour of Obong Attah.
He recalled that the former Governor led the resource control war against the former President Olusegun Obasanjo – led federal government and won, leading to the payment of the derivation funds without the On Shore /Offshore Oil Dichotomy in the region.
He said: “States in the Niger – Delta region should declare a work free day on every November 20 to celebrate the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah for fighting and winning the war for the payment of 13 % derivation funds to them without the onshore – offshore dichotomy”.
Nana, then Senior Aide to Attah, recalled that the commemoration of his birthday by UBC, has remained indelible in the calendar of the book club since 2019 as a mark of honour to him, “in recognition of his untiring contributions to the development of the State and the Niger – Delta region, through the resource control struggle to emancipate the region from undue marginalisation”.
While enumerating Obong Attah’s achievements to include; the International Airport, Ibom Power Plant, Le’ Meridien Hotel and Golf Resort, Ultraa – Modern Motor Parks, 50 Units Housing Estates across the 31 LGAs, and sponsorship of indigent students on educational scholarships abroad,among others, likened him to the former Western region’s Premier, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo “for developing his people and the Western region infrastructure”.
He also called on governments at all levels to have a rethink in the composition of Excos by having a good mixture of seasoned personnel with inexperienced ones, so that the convergence would bring about good policy formulations and programmes implementation.
Chairman on the occasion, Abom Tony Esu described Obong Attah as one of Akwa Ibom best professionals and politician, “who hates lies and could go naked to defend the truth”, adding that
“Attah’s wisdom and articulation is something to be celebrated”.
As a statesman, he appealed to Attah and his estranged friend, Otuekong Don Etiebet, to sit on a round table to settle their age – long political feud, white still alive.
Keynote speaker, and commissioner for Finance during the era, Sir Sunday Akpan, spoke on; “The Legacies of His Excellency, Obong Victor Attah: Using IMDLCC to Check Impunity and Demise of Good Governance and Public Service Delivery in Nigeria”.
He noted that Obong Attach, was using administrative device of Inter -Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee ,IMDLCC, to ensure power shared between different arms and organs of government can go a long way to check corruption in the system.
Other of his cabinet members who paid tributes to him included Prof. Ebebe Ukpong, who served as commissioner for Economic Development; Prof. Trenchard Ibia, commissioner for Agriculture and Mr. Dan Abia, Attorney General and commissioner for Justice, who described Attah, as epitome of unity, peace and development of Akwa Ibom and Nigeria.
