Photo by Dr. Allison Anadi President Olusegun Obasanjo (left) and Governor Victor Attah (right) prepare to cut the ribbon dedicating one of two dozen new roads throughout Akwa Ibom.

By James Overly
In an unprecedented three-day whirlwind tour August 11-13, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo dedicated or broke ground for nearly 30 development projects throughout the state of Akwa Ibom. At the same time, his host, Akwa Ibom State Governor Victor Attah—a declared candidate for president in 2007—saw his achievements highlighted nationally, and critics of these projects silenced.

The projects are the crown jewels of Governor Attah’s vision for the development of this impoverished Niger Delta state. They range from new roads with traffic lights, to Africa’s only state-owned and internationally registered science park, to a new international airport with a maintenance facility that will serve all of West Africa’s air traffic needs.

The president also dedicated, or commissioned, as Nigerians prefer saying, a bridge; a general hospital; a model secondary school; a new secretariat to house the state government ministries and staff; an erosion and flood control project; some two dozen roads, including a six-lane thoroughfare; a new bus and "bush taxi" terminal with amenities unknown in other African motor parks; and a model rice farm. President Obasanjo also inspected progress on the state’s independent power plant, considered fundamental to nearly all other development projects.

State-wide pride
By all accounts, the progress he viewed impressed the president.

"Things are happening here," President Obasanjo said repeatedly as his theme during a speech at a state banquet. Governor Attah said of the president, "He saw things he never thought were there. He now appreciates the magnitude of what we have been doing, the complexity of the power plant and airport projects, and how we are synchronizing and coordinating all these projects."

Governor Attah believes in distributing development projects widely to benefit all, rather than concentrating a few projects in the capital city. As the president traveled throughout the state to reach the far-flung projects, hundreds of thousands of Akwa Ibomites greeted him with unabashed enthusiasm, regardless of their political inclinations. The people of this state are long accustomed to being considered an afterthought, if at all, as far as Nigeria is concerned. So they relished the chance to take obvious pride in what has been accomplished, to show off their renewed self-confidence and manifest their belief in an even better future.

Their audience was larger than just their president. Groups of people from all regions of Nigeria were also present at various events, including a prominent leader and a large group of Ijaws, the ethnic group blamed for some kidnappings, oil facility sabotage and violence in neighboring Niger Delta states. Nigerian university youth, also a group well known for sometimes expressing political displeasure in a disruptive manner, enthusiastically voiced their support for Governor Attah.

The commissioning site receptions were everything one could expect from an African political event—pulsating music, splendiferous costumed traditional dancers, singing, political campaigning, even some stilt walkers and acrobats. Despite the packed agenda, these events were well organized and timed to the minute. The presidential tour and the large crowds were possible because Akwa Ibom eschews the violence that paralyzes several neighboring Niger Delta states—another understated Attah accomplishment.

Photo by Kevin M. Baerson Akwa Ibomites await the groundbreaking ceremony for Africaís first state-owned science park.

‘Thing of beauty’
Engineer Iroigak Ikann, Akwa Ibom’s Sate Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, called the presidential examination of progress a "major step." He said, "It shows we are doing what we expect Nigerian governments to do."

The President appeared impressed with three large projects, particularly the new international airport, air cargo terminal and maintenance facility.

"A thing of beauty, they say, is a thing of joy forever," he said in his remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony. "I have no doubt in my mind technically that this is a thing of beauty. I will also want to hope that the involvement of DynCorp in this project will also make it not just a thing of beauty, but also a thing of economic viability."

Prime contractor DynCorp, an American firm, has established an impressive record in similar projects all over the world.

The president noted this, and said he was optimistic that the Akwa Ibom Airport would meet world standards and make Nigeria the hub of air transportation in Africa.

President Obasanjo also inspected progress at Akwa Ibom’s independent power plant project, the first phase of which is slated to come on line in December. The power plant, or IPP, will eventually generate 685 megawatts of electricity, enough to meet Akwa Ibom’s needs several times over. The excess will be sold back to the national power grid, generating more reserves for the state.

The third Akwa Ibom project that especially caught the President’s attention was the science park.

At the groundbreaking, Governor Attah stated, "The policy thrust of my government has been anchored on the global reality that science and technology have become firmly established as the engine of growth of modern national economies."

He noted that prospective tenants from China, the Republic of South Africa, the United States of America and Nigeria "are anxiously awaiting for the park to be completed for them to move in."

Photo by Dr. Allison Anadi Dancers and musical groups by the dozen live their heritage in celebration of the presidential visit.