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Recently, the name of the Chief Executive Officer of Ben Akak Foundation, Engr. Ben Akak has become a household name in the lips of Cross Riverians. A household name because of recent activities carried by the foundation, especially in the distribution of welfare packages to the less privileged in the society.
It is also worthy of note that Ben Akak was prominent in the distribution of palliatives to the Cross River state government, Non-Governmental Organizations and individuals during the nationwide lockdown caused by the outbreak of COVID-19. It is as a result of these and many more that made many to come out to say that he is doing all of these pursuit of his ambition to become the state governor in 2023.
They believe that the name has not been a popular name until he started nursing ambitions for the governorship seat in the state. It is on this premise that Obase Okanke Ofem Willie, who has known Ben Akak for about 10 years, has deflated the notion. He said it has been in the nature of Ben Akak to be the voice of the voiceless and the helper of the helpless.
He said this while addressing journalists in Calabar. He said Ben Akak has been a philanthropist, humble and go-getter all through the years he has known him. He also disclosed that it was Ben Akak that started the Margaret Ekpo Development Foundation. He revealed that Ben Akak was the person who single handedly ran the Foundation with his money without getting support from anyone, disclosing that he was also the one who started the annual Margaret Ekpo lectures.
He said: “As a Cross Riverian, we all yearn to have a positive change; we all yearn for an administration that has regard for the entire Cross River; that will develop Cross River economically beyond where we are today. And a lot of us have also looked at the fact that beyond the regular day to day politician, do we have such a person?
“We know that the Southern Senatorial District is blessed with fantastic people, young people, old people, young leaders and all of that and coincidentally, a lot of people have been in the media, social media spaces and all of that talking about a number of other persons. I can speak for Ben Akak because I know Ben Akak fully well before today. A lot of people have known him before now, I don’t mind dropping their contacts, call them and they will talk to you about Ben Akak.
“Ben Akak, I’ve known him more than ten years and if anybody tells me the highest attribute they know Ben for, it is humility. I say it everywhere and anywhere. Ben has been that humble person I know right from time immemorial that I’ve known him. The only difference is that because of additional assignments and engagements he is engaged with, he cannot be as accessible as he used to be before today. For that, I can excuse him for that and that is only natural. Ben is somebody who understands what he wants, he is a goal getter, and I can say it anywhere, any day, anytime”.
He added that when people begin to say that Ben is an overnight philanthropist, that he doesn’t know what philanthropist means to them. He believes that if he can on his own have the welfare of the people at heart that he will do more when he has control of the funds government which will make governance easy and interesting for him.
Obase who confidently believes that Ben Akak is the right man to cause the needed change in Cross River was of the opinion that based on personal interactions with him that he wouldn’t be that kind of leader who will change once he becomes the governor. He stated that his least expectation from him is failure while the highest expectation is to transform the state with his wealth of experience and intellectual capabilities.
