REMARK BY SENATOR ANYIM PIUS ANYIM, GCON ON THE OCCASION OF
THE INAUGURATION OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE INITIATIVES ON
THE 27th DAY OF MAY, 2010 AT IBOM HALL, UYO AKWA-IBOM STATE.
By a letter dated May 4, 2010, Hon Eseme Eyiboh conveyed to me my appointment as the Vice Chairman of the Governing Board of Advisors by the Faculty Board of the Initiatives.
There is no gainsaying that I am humbled by this consideration. I do not know the criteria that applied in taking this decision, but suffice it to say that when I discovered that my Lord, Hon Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwaise is in the same manner appointed the Chairman of the Governing Board, I concluded that the decision must have being guided by wisdom. In my part of the world, the first physical sign of wisdom in any man is gray hair. In line with this saying, may I invite you to look at the head of Hon.
Eyibo, you will have no reason to doubt that he is endowed with great wisdom. Talking about wisdom, the bible says:
“Wisdom is profitable to direct Ecl. 10:10
Wisdom is better than weapons of war Ecl. 8
Wisdom is better than strength Ecl.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it can only be wisdom, that when other members of the House of Representatives are lobbying for Committee Chairmanship, Hon Eyibo and his friends were planning to establish their own institution within the institution of the House of Representatives.
It is only by wisdom that while other members of the House of Representatives are striving to attain influence in the society by using their offices to make money, Hon. Eyiboh and his friends thought that the best way to go is to fill in the daft gap in legislative process with research and intellectualism for the purpose of enhancing members’ understanding of various dimension of legislative subjects.
Again, it is only by wisdom that while other members are engrossed with re-election challenges, Hon, Eyiboh and his friends are here today inaugurating perpetual succession institution that would mark a turning point in our legislative and indeed national history.
It is also by wisdom, that while other members of the House of Representatives may wish and indeed aspire to identify with Hon. Justice Uwaise – as a God father, but Hon Eyiboh and his friends by the concept of “the Initiatives” decided to employ Hon. Justice Uwaise and other members of the governing Board as their advisors if not staffers.
Let me make bold at this juncture to declare that Hon. Eyiboh and other members of the faculty Board are the wisest members the National Assembly may have produced. | am therefore delightfully proud to Identify with you in the capacity of the vice Chairman of your Governing Board.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen: I am told that “the Initiatives” are some cerebral members of the House of Representatives who have resolved to provide, intellectualism and dept in law making. In other words, their aim is to enhance better understanding of issues and various perspectives of a proposed law before actually engaging in the intricate politics of legislation.
My dear colleagues, with this idea and attitude, I must declare that there is hope for Nigeria. I congratulate and indeed commend you as true agents of democratization. The challenges of governance in our country had remind unsolved because no one ever cares to actually take time to appreciate the issues and varying perspectives of our challenges instead, we have always resorted to power play and arm twisting in which the strongest have always armstronged the weaker and thereafter, miss-interpret the consequential retrogression as victory. I am committed to be here today, because I believe that your approach will generate a new foundation for our national progress.
Again, I heartily congratulate both the Faculty and the Governing Board for the event of today but more so for the concept of the “the Initiatives” which am sure will out-live the founders.
Congratulations!