Across Cross River North, the story is familiar. A farmer wakes before dawn, loads his cassava, and struggles through a 10-kilometre journey that takes three hours because the road is bad.
Students still read under kerosene lamps. Women trek long distances to nearby streams to fetch water for drinking. These are not statistics. They are real people. Our people. And they need more than promises.
Recently, some social media voices have argued that sending students abroad on scholarship is the best kind of empowerment. It sounds nice, but it tells only part of the story.
Yes, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe has supported overseas scholarships for some constituents, and that is commendable. Education changes lives. But while a scholarship lifts one person, good infrastructure lifts a whole community.
Education is good, but people need water first
Imagine a young man who wins a scholarship abroad. His parents rejoice. But back home, his mother still treks for water and his siblings still study under a leaking roof. When he returns, the same broken road greets him.
Development must start from the ground up. Scholarships are like rain on one farm; infrastructure is like rain on the whole village. Both are good, but if the village stays dry, no farm can thrive.
Why basic infrastructure should come first
It helps everyone. One road, one transformer or one borehole benefits hundreds.
It keeps our best brains home. When jobs and opportunities exist locally, fewer young people will run abroad.
It is fairer. A scholarship touches a few; a road or borehole touches all.
It builds dignity. A tricycle, sewing machine, or mini tractor gives lasting value.
It brings visible results. People can see and feel real development.
Every Ward Has Felt the Touch
There’s hardly any political ward in Northern Cross River State without a life-changing project facilitated by Senator Jarigbe. From transformers lighting up forgotten villages, to mini-tractors that ease farming, to tricycles, motorcycles, and farm inputs empowering women and youths—the evidence is everywhere.
The senator’s focus is clear: to lift burdens and create broad-based empowerment, not just bless a few families. His projects are practical, visible, and life-changing. They speak louder than speeches.
Finding a better balance
This is not about stopping scholarships; it’s about balance.
Let 80% of effort go to infrastructure and empowerment, and 20% to education. Let every scholar who studies abroad come back to serve locally. Let every LGA have a vocational centre where skills are taught and livelihoods created.
Most importantly, let leadership remain transparent so people can see how their mandate is being used.
Real leadership is measured by what stays
A scholarship ends when a student graduates. But a road, a transformer, a borehole, or a market stall keeps serving long after the ribbon is cut.
Senator Jarigbe’s real legacy lies in these burden-lifting projects that bring light, water, mobility, and dignity to rural communities.
Because at the end of the day, the people’s real question is not “Who travelled abroad?” but “Do we have light? Do we have water? Can we sell our produce? Can our children learn in dignity?”
Foreign scholarships are good. But roads, electricity, clean water, and small businesses are better foundations for lasting progress.
Let’s build home before we build abroad.
Let’s raise communities before we raise headlines.
True leadership is not about sending people away.
It’s about giving them a reason to stay.
Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Mike Udam, and does not represent TheLumineNews, or agent or the organisation the author works for
