BY SOLOMON ASHA
As this writer pieces together words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs that makes up this short article, the governor of Cross River state, Sen. Prof. Benedict Ayade and some of the members of his close economic team including the immediate past Commissioner for Finance, Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr. are already in Moscow, the capital city of Russia on mainly what I will described as economic pilgrimage to the former Union of Soviet Socialist republics {USSR} created on December 30, 1922, and dissolved into 15 post-Soviet countries
including Russia on December 26, 1991.
The Cross River state Governor is a leader who want to make proper use of every right opportunity to make use of all avenues to better the overall interest of his people’s socio-economic and political standing in Nigeria, Africa and in the world.
Ayade’s capacity to think and to act at the right time and move to the right places to achieve what he want is a clear demonstration of the fact that the Obudu born Environmental scientist, Inventor,
philanthropist and orator high rating parade thoughts flow that are above his time and generation; taking advantage of opportunities as they present themselves even while still in a hazy state when an
average mind cannot attempt to take a leap.
Governor Ayade and his team had already hit the streets of Moscow and running, seeking for economic partnership barely a week after the famous first Russia-Africa summit held at the Russian city of Sochi,
located on the Black Sea coast near the border between Georgia/Abkhazia and Russia, from October 23-24, 2019.
The summit anchored by Roscongress Foundation, a Russian institution in charge of expediting the “development of Russia’s economic potentials, promoting its national interests, and strengthening the
country’s image. One of the roles of the Foundation is to comprehensively evaluate, analyze, and cover issues on the Russian and global economic agendas,” among others, focused on the areas of Russia’s global interests including political and diplomatic support, Defence and security assistance, Economic assistance, Diseases control advice, Humanitarian and relief assistance as well as Educational and Vocational training.
Knowing the Cross River state governor and his desire to push through to a successful end his multifaceted development programmes and his industrialization drive, those who know the eloquent Professor blessed with constant stream of ideas are not surprise that he is the first African Governor of a state to visit Moscow few days after the end of the Sochi Russia-Africa Summit, 2019.
This writer is so confident that Ayade and his economic team will return from the famous philosophers and social thinkers, Karl Marx and Lenin’s own nation with a lot of good news, fruitful Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs).
Understandably, and knowing the visionary Governor Ayade’s mind set and his development direction already on course, most of the pacts will definitely be in the key areas of economic development and assistance, Educational and Vocational training, diseases control and
Humanitarian relief assistance.
MoUs that would see to the realization of all the vast projects being undertaken by the administration of Ayade, such as the 275km six lane super highway and the Bakassi deep seaport, trade and investments, the development of our educational institutions and provision of facilities and equipment, training, scholarship and internship programmes for Cross Riverians at Russian Universities and colleges of technologies and transfer of Russian, technology Calapharm industry, the development and extraction of the state’s solid mineral resources as well as the exploration and exploitation of the other natural resources, among others.
Moving smartly and courageously to take advantage of the window of opportunities which the recent Russia-Africa summit held at the Russian city of Sochi, provides for economic growth, industrialization
and development in all facets that are within the mutual benefits to both parties is highly commendable at this time that all effort are geared towards fast tracking Cross River away from what it is traditionally known as a “Civil Service Oriented state” to an industrialized one.
As a passionate leader who is altruistically really in a haste to see to the overall positive change in the wellbeing of his people and ensure the transformation of Cross River into an economic hub in Nigeria and West Africa, Ayade is undeterred by obstacles of all kinds, but is resolutely committed to pushing forward that which will bring to realization his vision and dream of a new Cross River State.
This writer can only but tell Your Excellency to ride on and negotiate fruitfully to the glory of God and to the benefits of Cross Riverians and other Nigerians, as we await the good news at his return.
Solomon Asha, is Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ayade of Cross River.
