Jonathan Omini Jnr., has his sights set on the vacant chairmanship position in Yakurr LGA. When he recently engaged IWARA U. IWARA, Editorial Lead and publisher, www.calitown.com, he showed his subtle level of preparedness in the the answers he provided.
It is not the first time you have aspired to be chairman of Yakurr LGA. Why are you gunning for this position?
Let me first thank you for this incisive question. My answer is yes, this is not the first time I have had this aspiration to become Chairman of Yakurr LGA.
To the second part of this question; I think that for too long, a local government area like Yakurr LGA, has had to cope with below par leadership that has limited the actualization of her potentials. Our best hands have sat back and watched mediocrity take centre stage, even with the experience and exposure that is not in short supply within and among us. Address me as young and bold, then tell me why I shouldn’t come forth with an uncanny determination to work at positively changing the fortunes of my people. Should I bottle up my inmate desire and determination for quality service and a work ethic that has brought me this far and pretend all has been done, when a better performance bar can be set? No.
As a businessman and an avowed believer in the creation of happiness for those around me, not necessarily those that are related to me, shouldn’t I bring this happiness to my people, now that suffering is staring us all in the face?
Let me please state it for the records that, l am resident in Ekori, resident in Calabar, resident in Abuja and widely travelled. Deliberately, l have acquired, as I journeyed to this point, trusted capacity for developing smaller economies to enviable ones. As are the desires of my heart, working in consonance with our people, a process will be exhaustively driven to better the economies of our people and create the Yakurr LGA of our collective dream.
Have you done a socio-political needs assessment in Yakurr that should help railroad you into what can be addressed if you become elected?
Of course, l have carried out a socio-political needs assessment of Yakurr LGA. It is in my blueprint and will soon be published for all to see.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am from Ekori, Yakurr LGA, homegrown, friendly, helpful and accommodating. I have a bachelor of science degree in Policy and Administrative Studies from the University of Calabar and an Masters of Science degree in Criminology. I am presently studying for a PhD In Criminology. At the Nigerian Institute Of Management, I am a chartered member.
If you become elected, what are you bringing to the table for your Yakurr people?
First, the ideal go-to-place will be to work at ensuring the maintenance and sustenance of peace in Yakurr. If this is done, it will create an enabling environment for small businesses to grow.
Clearly too, I have in my head a workable road map that will help ensure that affordable credit is provided for small business owners. I will encourage our technically inclined youths to acquire skills, help them set up shop anf further help assist with technical exposure for skills upgrade.
For an agrarian LGA like ours, we will work to ensure that willing youths receive definite support to farm and increase yield. Please let me not open the Pandora’s box here, the bulk of my what and how, is in my blueprint that will soon be out for all to read. But importantly, all of these ideas in my head have been properly thought out to also align with and complement the efforts of our state government under the leadership of Gov. Bassey Edet Otu, who is committed and providing the watery plains that will advance our development as a state.
Considering that Yakurr is predominantly an agrarian LGA, do you have an agricultural road map for the people. What are the bullet points of this road map, without revealing too much?
Effective local governance will recognize and adopt the application of basic economic sense in the design of drumsticks that generate the rhythm of our development. I am simply saying that, I will leverage on the comparative advantage we have over other local govt councils to open up smart local government farms where crops and seeds that germinate within three to four months are cultivated on a large scale. The intention is to embrace where our economic strength lies, create jobs for our teaming youths and also create wealth ( revenue) for the local government area.
The late Hon. Justice Ekapong Ofem, is to this day, a reference point in good governance all over Yakurr LGA. If you get the nod, how do you intend to beat his records?
My Lord, the Late Justice Ekapong Ofem was by every standard an iconic personality who through his good works at the local council level, left behind a lasting and enviable legacy. He also left behind very big shoes.
But the beauty and challenge of filling up space left behind by big shoes is that, we often must think up ingenious ways of filling up big space(s). It also means we must embrace the demands of surmounting obstacles and doing more than is often demanded for what must be done to make sense. I should consider myself very lucky that a man like the late Ekapong happened before me and also came from Ekori, my community.
Let me ask you, shouldn’t I be better inspired and improve on what this man has done instead of embrace mediocrity? The same history that has not forgotten him, will not forget me if my game is authentic to the senses and in the open for all to see. I say boldy that in his time, Ekapong, gave it his best shot; give me the chance to prove that I will be an upgraded version, surpassing this icon, by God’s very special grace.
You appear to have spent a greater part of your life outside the LGA. Is it an indication that you will largely become a chairman who doesn’t reside in the LGA?
I completely disagree with you. l reside in Ekori, Calabar and Abuja precisely. Abuja and Calabar is where my businesses are. But then, I come to Yakurr very often because it is home, sweet home. This is where I derive the most joy, spending time with my people and enjoying the camaraderie that is specific to Yakurr every day living. Will I now abscond from this when by God’s grace my people give me the nod to lead them, no.
Yakurr is a very secure place to live in and living among my people as chairman will better place before me, the tools that will help me crank the engine of enhanced local governance that I come equipped with, to life.
Again, Yakurr’s history with absent chairmen is not one I will embrace.
Comment on the Supreme Court judgement on LG funds and what you can achieve with this court judgement.
The apex court’s decision is a welcome development.
Critically, the decision must not be exploited and used to encourage gritty disagreements between chairmen of councils and their state governors. No, there must be that synergy between them that will foster peace and encourage equitable development across the state for the interest of the people.
You must also understand that there are a handful of intricate legal pieces inside this judgement couple with that contained in the Local Government Establishment Law as passed by the Cross River State House of Assembly that will be better studied and adopted while working for the peace, unity and progress of Yakurr LGA, l can assure you.
How will women be incorporated into local governance if you become elected?
The recognition of the crucial link between local governance, development, and gender equality is something that cannot be overlooked.
The role of women has verifiable impact on developmental outcomes and is also essential in ensuring sustainable development especially in decentralised governance. I will visibly embrace them and elevate their political participation as it is also what my party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has as one of her cardinal political points.
You have consistently sponsored football tournaments at the local level. Have you been able to export football talents from these competitions that you have repeatedly sponsored?
Before my involvement in consistently sponsoring what is today, the “Kofonnoh Football Tournament”, I had some introspection. The volatility of the average Yakurr youth, I reasoned, needed to be checked and their ebullient energy positively harnessed. That energy becomes applied to negative things in the absence of engagements like this tournament; I have stayed the course of this sponsorship because the outcomes have proven my involvement, correct.
“Kofonnonno”, is a Yakurr word that simply means coming together. If we have succeeded in bringing our young men together to savour the joy football brings, then we have fostered unity and a sense of purpose that will reap us all true benefits. I was humbly overjoyed when my efforts at sponsoring this competition was recognized and my people raised a statue in my honour…it was a day to behold and I will carry the memories of that day to the end.
Let me also add that, this tournament has attracted football scouts from all over Nigeria, afforded our young people the opportunity of attending football trials where some of them have met the standard and signed football contracts. You won’t believe that as we speak, this competition has grown beyond Yakurr LGA, other local government areas have become interested and have participated. Now, expectations are always rife before the tournament and participation and sports entertainment is massive – this is positive engagement, driven by my believe that if we clearly define our actions, the outcomes will be rewarding.
This is just the capacity in one aspect of life that I have demonstrated, I have a lot in store, given the opportunity that I seek.
