Rootman Ogbor,
Former Member,
CRSHA

Just as GOD created man in His own image, each man-made system has its own LOGOS as its God's image. Thus, we can talk about the God of Football as the LOGOS of Football. Same applies to governmental systems. Hence, the oligarch is the Logos of Oligarchy; the monarch is the Logos of monarchy; the aristocrat is the Logos of aristocracy; the kakistocrat is the Logos of kakistocracy; God is the Logos of theocracy, etc. As for DEMOCRACY, the people constitute its Logos. 


Here, our emphasis is on DEMOCRACY. One miseducation that's handed down to us by the European imperialists is that DEMOCRACY originated from the Greek city states. This, I reject in its entirety. That's why I bluntly refused to teach my students same throughout my days in the West African People's Institute (WAPI), Calabar. Like most civilisations, DEMOCRACY is a child of Africa, the CRADLE of human civilisation. 


Of all the systems of government, DEMOCRACY is the MEAN system. Whereas, some, like Plato (one of the Greek philosophers who was African educated) see it as being below the people worth; others, like Jean Jacques Rousseau (a Genevan social contratarian) believe that DEMOCRACY is above man. Plato advocated for Philosopher/Kingship, while Rousseau held that man could only practise DEMOCRACY if and only if men were angels. However, some, like Abraham Lincoln (the 16th President of USA) regard it as the MEAN - suited for man. 


The most popular definition of DEMOCRACY came from the fertile mind of Lincoln: "government of the people for the people and by the people". However, what is often lost to us is the second part of his definition in which he stated that: no man, no matter how good, is good enough to rule the other without the other man's CONSENT. The import of this is the need for a periodic, free, fair, peaceful, smooth, and credible elections. 


The aspect of the people's consent or mandate marks DEMOCRACY out from other systems of government. This also marks the difference between the dividends of DEMOCRACY and those of other systems. Otherwise, the military, for instance, can claim that the dividend of military rule is the same as DEMOCRACY's, namely, provision of infrastructure - roads, schools, hospitals, bridges, etc.


Because of the dominance of self-interest in politics, subjectivity supercedes objectivity as every argument appears to be plausible, sound, and valid. So that the politicians who feel HASTE would serve their interests most would emphasise on 'make HASTE while the sun shines' ideology. Similarly, the ones whose interests are better served with SLOWNESS would raise the 'SLOW water runs deep' manifesto. Let's not forget that today's HASTE singers could turn tomorrow's SLOW singers, and vice visa. There could also be the middle course politicians who promote WARMTH as the panacea of development. 


Who is right and who is wrong depends on the LOGOS of the system. Therefore, the decider in monarchy is the monarch; in kakistocracy is the kakistocrat or worst citizen; in aristocracy is the aristocrat; in theocracy is God, etc. Of course, the people (demos) form the LOGOS and the determinants in DEMOCRACY.


The different groups of politicians are walled into interest-corresponding political parties. So, each party serves the people with joint or complimentary dividend, as against substitute or competitive dividend. In other words, a political party is like a football team of cooperative players; it is not like boxing where we have single and combative contestants. 


The above explains why the needless concoction of artificial dichotomy in CRS Southern Senatorial District is worrisome. In 2023, the people of the district led the other two districts to choose Senator Bassey Otu, the SWEET PRINCE, as their GOVERNOR for obvious reasons. The same people chose Asuquo Ekpenyong, THE STANDARD, as their SENATOR, for same obvious reasons. The choice was clearly a joint demand and supply (like eba and soup). The two are not in any way competitors against each other (like garri and semovita). Both are good seeds sowed by good farmers in a good soil for good fruits. From one SWEET PRINCE seed sowed by APC in the South South zone, nearly the whole of the zone is afforested with APC; in the same vein, THE STANDARD has blossomed admiringly beyond his constituency. 


Clearly, the combination of the solutes of Governor Otu and Senator Ekpenyong form a SOLUTION (like salt and water), not a SUSPENSION (like sand and water). That is why it seems the people of Southern Cross River State are wiser than their politicians who crave for division where none exists, let alone needed. 


Compared to our sister-state of Akwa Ibom, we are poor, debt-ridden and only marginal member of oil producing states who constitute the NDDC when the derivation principle is considered. We are only treated equally with others when the equality principle is applied. Somehow, we lost a whopping 76 oil wells to injustice. Therefore, all hands must be on deck for the Governor's quest for justice in this regard to materialise.


Our condition calls for unity of purpose rather than division in poverty. We should emulate Governor Umo Eno and Senator Godswill Akpabio's unity in riches that melted two different political parties into one. Why are we dividing one political party into two? SELF-INTEREST. Why are we campaigning against our party in advance? SELF-INTEREST. Why are we turning our correction to wrong? SELF-INTEREST. 


All along, like every other NDDC state, we have been having representative commissioners in NDDC. Twice, we had the chairmanship slot of its board. To that extent, we had grained something. But we have never had the board MD. To this extent, we lost something. Again, we have never had the chairmanship position of Senate Committee on NDDC until Senator Ekpenyong's debut. To this extent, we missed out. The emergence of the energetic Senator Ekpenyong in that exalted office has helped tremendously in bridging the gap between our dear state and others in NDDC. For the first time, it is as though, we have regained some of our STOLEN oil wells. One can only imagine our fortune if the Governor-led conscientious efforts to regain our rightful oil wells see the light of the day!


In 2023, our party merely told the LOGOS of DEMOCRACY what these our great sons would do; and they were faithfully returned as Governor and Senator. In 2027, we will confidently show the LOGOS of DEMOCRACY what they had done; and they would be re-mandated. What then is our problem? SUCCESS? We mustn't dare the mighty LOGOS of DEMOCRACY. 


Syllogistically speaking, the LOGOS of DEMOCRACY gives the mandate; and it gave the mandate to Governor Bassey Otu and Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong; therefore, Governor Bassey Otu and Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong are the mandatees. 


Mr. Ogbor Ogbor Udop (Rootman).