by By Z- Effect Media
On Sunday July 12, 2020 history was made at the popular Ishibori playground in Ogoja local government area of Cross River State as Prof. Zana Akpagu became the first person from the Cross River Northern Senatorial District to be conferred with traditional titles by council of chiefs of each of the five local government that makes up the zone.
The title, Ntol Lem-Annenob which literally translate to a ‘Man who does good to the people’ is one of the many titles he has been conferred with by the people in appreciation of his extraordinary performances in all the positions he has held including Commissioner for Education and Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar.
Previously, the Yala traditional Ruler council had conferred on him the Otobeche1 of Yala, Obudu gave him the Unwa Ushie1 of Obudu while the Bekwerra nation conferred on him the Okungbo 1 of Bekwerra. This is even as Obanliku had honoured him with the Uchua Ukpele 1 of Obanliku title.
The honour by Ishibori, the traditional headquarter of the Nkem and the political capital of Ogoja completed a unique and historic recognition that explains the impact he has created in the people of the senatorial district.
Not everybody can be made a king to rule over a kingdom. To become a king, you need to be a trustworthy person that is armed with wisdom that can handle matters objectively when the need arises. People who take things for granted and care about nothing except their personal interest even if they buy their ways to become kings have never been good kings.
Good kings care about their people and their kingdom. They don’t pursue their personal interest but the interest of the people. They don’t fly in high horses but always dine and wine with the people to understand their problems. They use their privilege positions to attract good things to their people.
These and many more are things the good people of the North have probably seen in Akpagu that every single local government have come out to celebrate and honour him with the highest titles in their lands.
As it is today, there’s no Northerner that has done more for the people than him. During his conferment in Obaliku, Yala, Bekwerra and Obudu, the stories were the same. The people united although in different occasions in singing his praises for his massive employment opportunities, establishment of Micro Finance bank which is providing loans for farmers and small small scale entrepreneurs in three of the five local government in the North.
Also, in Ogoja over the weekend, the story was the same. The people remembered how as Commissioner for Education, he transformed St. Andrews
primary school to secondary school. They also recalled how he transformed Convent Primary School, Agiga to Secondary School. They also didn’t forget how he established the Saint Bens secondary school.
They also sang his praises for bringing one campus of the Cross River University of Technology to Ogoja when he established the University as Commissioner for Education. Not to mention the numerous employment and scholarship opportunities he has given to the people.
Education is the greatest tool for civilization and development. He gave the people education and has not stopped there. He left as Commissioner and in few years became the Vice Chancellor of the University Calabar, a position he has used to give many products of the secondary schools and University he established employment.
Akpagu whom by his numerous honours have been described as the “King of the North” has always used his privileged positions to influence great things to the people. The well being of his people has always topped his priority.
This explains why different groups, opinion leaders, political leaders among others have identified him as the best man for the vacant senate seat in the zone. He had opportunities and utilized them by making sure he brought benefits to our people and today the people are happy that they have a king who dream, thinks and work for them.
Leadership is all about the people and Prof. Akpagu has demonstrated that he is the man of the people. The people have sent a clear message that in Akpagu they have a leader they trust and love and would do anything to reward his good works with more opportunities to represent them.
