It is with deep dismay and a heavy sense of responsibility that I pen this column today, not as a mere observer, but as a concerned stakeholder in the Eket Federal Constituency. The recent actions of Hon. Okpolum Etteh have not only disappointed, they have desecrated the very ideals of representation and respect for the people he claims to serve.
Hon. Etteh’s decision to distribute substandard 5kg bags of rice as an Easter gesture is not just inadequate, it is an outright insult. This sudden philanthropy, barely masked as festive generosity, smacks of desperation. One cannot help but ask: where was this so-called kindness during Christmas? Why now, if not for the proximity of another election season?
This is the first time Hon. Etteh has attempted such a public relations stunt since assuming office. Yet, instead of building on genuine empowerment or investing in life-transforming infrastructure, he has chosen the path of tokenism, offering what many have described as “sand rice” to a community that deserves far more.
In stark contrast, his colleagues in the National Assembly are executing people-centered projects: commissioning roads, installing solar-powered water systems, facilitating international training opportunities, and enacting bills that reflect the hopes and aspirations of their constituents. Etteh, meanwhile, offers crumbs—meant to pacify, not uplift.
Elder statesman and political leader, Chief Ndueso Essien, was recently quoted as warning politicians against the practice of distributing empowerment materials and palliatives. He rightly emphasized that such acts, though often wrapped in the guise of kindness, are ultimately tools of impoverishment. Instead, he advocates for sustainable development—capacity building, community infrastructure, and policies that outlast electoral cycles.
It is in light of this guidance, and the glaring failures of Hon. Etteh, that I issue a public call for accountability. Let it be clear: within 48 hours, Hon. Etteh must tender a public apology for the sheer disrespect shown to the people of Eket Federal Constituency. Let that apology be heard across national airwaves, as loud and clear as the disappointment that now echoes throughout our land.
Moreover, I strongly demand that Hon. Etteh withdraws his ill-conceived proposal to rename the Eket Federal Constituency. At a time when his focus should be on serving, building, and healing, such distractions only further reveal a disturbing disconnect from the real needs of his people.
The constituents of Eket are not beggars. We are not fools. And we certainly are not pawns in the political chess game of a representative who has forgotten the dignity of his mandate.
The time for rice politics is over. What we need is representation with purpose, vision, and respect.
