Ayade: The Change that Suits the Plan

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Cross River State, Senator Ben Ayade comes on board as the change agent that suits the clearly spelt out succession plan in the state, writes Ojo M. Maduekwe

It is often said that people who truthfully perfect the art of giving, do so out of the goodness that lies deep in their hearts with no narcissistic agenda. Perhaps, it was in giving vent to this that the scripture declares that givers never lack.

Over the years, Senator  Ben Bengioushuye Ayade, even long before he hit the limelight as a senator, had been guided by the philosophy that generosity does not necessarily come from knowing that you have more than enough before you could share.

A man weaned on communal precepts, Ayade, despite his abject background, grew up realising that out of the little he had and shared, he was unwittingly navigating his way out of economic doldrums and paving the way for plenty that would later come.

When education appeared to be something of a luxury for him, Ayade refused to be held hostage by the financial incapacitation that afflicted his parents. He embarked on a desperate search for knowledge in order to improve his human person and his society.  Today, his art of giving is his little secret to doors of opportunities, as new vistas continue to open even to his awe.

Even though chequered by the circumstance of his birth, the then young Ayade knew it was not a crime to have lofty dreams, dare mighty things, win glorious triumphs, than rank with poor spirits that neither enjoyed nor suffered much because they lived in the gray twilights that knew neither victory nor defeat. And from every daring move, Ayade has experienced triumphs over travails, successes over failures as he keeps turning chapter after chapter of the ever engrossing story of his life.

Thus, on December 8, Ayade, yet again began another chapter of his continuously riveting story, when he was given the seal of approval to fly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket in the 2015 governorship elections. From the day he made the audacious move to contest the governorship, a move which many viewed then as a welcome development and a breath of fresh air, the political temperature in the state was not only affectedly altered, the entire polity began to cackle with his name.

Seen by a broad spectrum of Cross Riverians as a round peg in a round hole, a man with the right acumen and temperament to fit into the big shoes soon to be passed on to him on May 29, 2015, Ayade’s candidacy could not have been any more resounding than the epoch event of December 8, where he trounced all his contenders and left them gasping for breath

Currently a serving senator, Ayade’s huge pedigree, his towering intellect, his endearing philanthropy and political profile constitute some of the finer qualities that make him an irresistible appeal to both the old and the young. This is not to discount his vast global business network expected to attract the necessary foreign investments into the state’s bullish economy as he begins his steady dress rehearsals for the Government House, Calabar.

In an electrifying atmosphere at the U.J.Esuene Stadium, venue of the primary, no one was left in doubt about the sagacity of this professor of Microbiology who also boasts a degree in law.

The mood at the stadium was buoyant and boisterous as chant of his name rent the expansive stadium. The well-manicured pitch of the stadium came under the overwhelming weight of joyous party faithful and supporters of Ayade, as they gyrated to music that bellowed from the public address system, while his hand was raised high by His Excellency, Governor Liyel Imoke.

Since his famous declaration to yield himself to the service of his state, his persona has completely brought a new wave of excitement and momentum into the polity that has witnessed tremendous transformation by the governor.

Even supporters of aspirants that challenged Ayade for the PDP ticket could not agree more on the emergence of the senator who they say epitomises a servant leader. They are agreed that he is well equipped with a clear-cut vision of what is required to govern a state like Cross River.

For several, he is equal to the task of stepping into the big shoes of Imoke. In the run up to the primary, he was able to convince almost everyone and every caucus he addressed that he knew exactly what was required not only to govern Cross River State, but to also up the ante in terms of infrastructural provision.

It is well documented that under Imoke’s administration, Cross River State has stood out starkly as the preferred investment destination, with the UN’s rating as one of the Five-Most Improved states in Nigeria in terms of ease of doing business. This is where Ayade’s global network is expected to play a key part as he is set to consolidate on the already laid investment template of his would-be predecessor.

Mindful of this global indexing, Ayade, who rose above circumstances that buffeted him as a child, is well aware that uneasy lies the head that wears the cap as he needs no reminding that the burden of expectations is great. And if the professor of Microbiology did not fail as an academic, as a philanthropist and as a business mogul, he is likely not to disappoint now as a servant leader of the people of Cross River State.

There is no doubt that Ayade’s narrative will form the plank of his vision for Cross River State, just as it will serve as a galvanizing tonic to turn the state into a success story, as he inches his way closely to the exalted office of the governor, with no one now left in doubt that he is a governor-in-waiting come 2015.

Renowned for his populist and empowerment programmes, believed to have derived inspiration from Imoke’s maxim that governance should be taken to those that need it the most, the philanthropist-turned governorship candidate is a man in a hurry to translate his philosophy which is that there cannot be any greater investment than that in human capacity into tangibles.

Having rescued himself from the shackles of poverty with the weapon of education, Ayade places a premium on education and his several efforts in this direction bear sterling testimonies. For him, every child must be given the opportunity and support to further his education.

Just like Imoke was on a rescue mission in 2007, Ayade is quite aware that he cannot, like Nero, afford to play the fiddle while Cross River burns, as all eyes will be on him to hit the ground running. Ayade has been investing his enormous resources in education via scholarships for over a decade, long before his foray into politics.

At age 24, Ayade had begun his charity to the very poor. His investment currently hovers around a staggering N22 million each year on scholarships, with the facilitation for overseas training of over 30 young men and women, Cross River State is in for a good deal of his philanthropy as he is poised to replicate this through good governance.

Other social safety net of Ayade also include 10 per cent of his earnings as senator, and equivalent percentages from his Oil and Gas Consultancy outfits and income from Ayade Subsidised Transport Scheme, which go into sundry welfare schemes for the deprived in his constituency.

Also launched early this year, is the distribution of food items to the poorest of the poor and the vulnerable in his constituency tagged: the ‘Senator Ayade Free Mobile Food Bank’.

Under the scheme, the governorship aspirant acquired/constructed the food bank storage warehouses in all the five council areas of his constituency, with several distribution trucks and mini-vans to periodically distribute food items directly to the doorsteps of beneficiaries in all the rural areas in his constituency.

The food items distributed must, as a matter of necessity, be sourced from local markets within the constituency, shortage of which other markets within the state are the next option.

As a deliberate policy to connect his people to the rest of the state and country, Ayade ensures the supply of recharge cards to the very poor in his senatorial district, a gesture that has remained entrenched to date.

For his vision, passion and pedigree, and above all, humanity he will definitely bring his nimble and Midas touch to bear on the entire socio-economic life of the state. Across the 18 local government areas of the state, everyone is agreed that he is the beloved choice in whom they are well pleased.

Thanking the people for his victory, Ayade said it was not exactly his victory, but that of the collective people of the Northern Cross River State, who never would have dreamt of ruling the state. It was also a victory made possible by Imoke and the state PDP, who in their collective wisdom felt that every senatorial zone should take turns to rule the state.

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Posted by admin on Jan 15 2015. Filed under Ben Ayade Desk. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry