Governor Ben Ayade has birthed a new normal. It is the incorporation of the young into mainstream governance with a shift from the conventional method.
This path was (deliberately) toed to raise a new generation of decision makers. In 5-10 years from now these army of young people will be the ones at the centre stages of the wheels.
After this phase, they will then replace the ageing elites. The much younger ones on the sidelines would move up the ladder.
Asides being a deep thinker, the Governor is a critical analyst and humanist. He clearly understands the implications of not raising a generation within the context of this timing. He is a visionary.
One of the privileges of what Governor Ayade has done today is the fact that these class wouldn\’t wait to be handheld further. Most of them have since moved from being rookies to political boardroom shakers. They can negotiate/navigate their way into the transition.
He identified assets who (at the time) were under 30s and 35s and made them Commissioners – Hon. Asuquo Ekpenyong, Drs Inyang Asibong, Betta Edu and Hon. Asu Okang are a few notable examples.
He also paved the way for several other young people to become state Reps, Commissioners, Senior Advisors, Chairmen of Boards, Executive Secretaries, Directors-General, Permanent Secretaries etc, with the creation of additional Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs).
Governor Ayade understood early that to abscond from this patriotic feat would mean truncating/altering the rebirth mission for the under 35s.
There was a time when Cross River State had only 8 Commissioners and 5 Advisers, then (slightly) increased to 13 Commissioners with about 6 Advisers into the administration that succeeded.
But Ayade increased the fleet to 39, introducing a whole new set of privileges/tasks that weren\’t considered. What a master class!
It is said that a King has no honour in his kingdom. Therefore, there is no doubt the effects of this rare step would be felt post the Ben Ayade Administration.
A new awakening has been born, a new order set, a new standard unearthed, a new generation invented: to completely discard this system should be likened to the biblical passing of the camel through the eye of the needle.
For posterity\’s sake, Ben Bengioshuye Ayade the Great, has (boldly) written his name in the annals of history and on the sands of time. He has had a distinctive outing. The man isn\’t ordinary. He has some magic touches.
He began the \’Ayadesian theory of expanded government\’ even before becoming Governor.
In the 7th Senate he had a retinue of aides. There was also the \’Professor Ben Ayade Scholarship Scheme\’ to varsity and high school students that was spearheaded by Rev. Fr. Francis Eworo.
And when he came into the saddle in 2015 he extended the gesture to \’food on the table\’ – and then \’ food on the table, hands on the plough\’ – in his second term.
I understand Ebonyi has the \’Green-Go-Round Initiative\”.
Several states have since replicated this model with different codenames, while many others are still comparing notes on how best to handle the method – the rebirth mission for a new Nigeria.
Eugene Upah√√
