“Empowerment not about giving bags of rice to people,” Governorship aspirant tells electorates

A governorship aspirant for 2023 in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Ide Owodiong has faulted the misconception people have about empowerment in the country, saying it was not about giving people bags of rice, and money but about liberating their minds.

According to the aspirant, when the mind is liberated the eyes can then be opened to know how one can be empowered.

He said this yesterday while fielding questions from newsmen in his country home, Ibesikpo Asutan.

Owodiong said he would build on the legacies of previous leaders of the state to put in place a new social contract for the people of Akwa Ibom state.

“People think empowerment is about giving people bags of rice, no, but to liberate the minds. When your mind is liberated your eyes can then open to know how you can be empowered. I want to build on the legacy of previous leaders like Obong Victor Attah, Akpabio, Udom Emmanuel and see how we can put a new social contract for the people”.

Owodiong who is the International Coordinator of 1001 Voices Initiative, a non-governmental organisation in Nigeria, however, expressed disappointment that many African leaders do not have a concern about laying legacies.

He said great African leaders like Nelson Mandela of South Africa, and others were firm because they stood out for what they believed in.

“One problem I have seen about African leaders is that many African leaders have not been concerned about legacy. Great African leaders like Nelson Mandela was firm because he stood for what he believed. That is legacy” he added.

Speaking on what he will bring to the table to add value to Akwa Ibom state, the aspirant said he would work to strengthen the institution of democracy and ensure there is autonomy and separation of powers.

” I think helping to strengthen the institutions of democracy is one area that I will focus on. The area that has to do with local government autonomy, separation of powers. These are the things we need to strengthen so that the common man can access the government and receive the appropriate response from the government. Building institutions, and also seeing how to also deploy E-governance.

He added “It is difficult to completely eliminate corruption once you have human beings involved in the process, but you can reduce it and the way to do that is to provide a systematic approach. If you deploy things that are transactional and reduce the number of human interference, it helps to reduce corruption and you as a Chief Executive can also track and see where there are wastages, and gaps. Those are the things that I will like to focus on. But also see how we can decentralize growth”.