By Emmanuel Utande
Your Excellency,
I have opted for this channel of communication to the governor because I do not want to be accused of blackmailing or lying against those involved in my matter for selfish gain or otherwise.
Before I was duly elected into the house of Representative, HoR, in the Second Republic in 1979, to represent Obudu federal constituency as it was then constituted, I had lectured at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; and the University of Calabar. During my tenure in the HoR, I was a member,l of the House Committee on Defence and deputy chairman of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. In that capacity, I represented the country in several international conferences, including leading a delegation to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conferences in Botswana and Bahamas in 1980.
Back home, among several things, I actively participated in the process leading to the establishment of the Federal College of Education, Obudu, which is today a degree awarding institution.
After leaving the National Assembly, former governor of Cross River State, Chief Clement Ebri, appointed me as the chairman of the Governing Council of the College of Education, Akampa. He also later appointed me as the chairman of the board of the defunct Calabar Cement Company, CAICEMCO, now Lafarge Africa.
When CAICEMCO had problems and was at the verge of complete collapse, the then military administrator of the state, Colonel Umar Farouk Ahmed, appointed me as a consultant, under the company, Goodwill Nigeria Limited.
I successfully rejuvenated CAICEMCO, which was then the only cement company producing cement in Nigeria. Meanwhile CAICEMCO was designed exclusively for export because the raw material, limestone, gotten from Mfamosing was the purest. Infact, quite often, clay had to be added to drop the quality a bit so as to conform with international standards. So after successfully rejuvenating CAICEMCO, it was re-commissioned with three major stakeholders; CAICEMCO, Cross River State government, and the Federal Government (through BPE).
For the records, my company was chosen, having quoted the least cost of ₦285 million. When it was time to pay, the state government did not and I had to go to court. By this time, Mr. Donald Duke had become governor of the state and for whatever reason, he vowed not to pay until ‘I die and nothing will happen,’ but by God’s grace I am alive. So, now it is divine justice. When the matter was in court, Justice Eyamba Edem was the then Chief Judge of the state, and on the influence of the Governor Duke, she whimsically transferred Justice Philomena Egbe from Calabar to Ogoja judicial division because she was seen to likely look at the case on merit.
I saw it as a punitive case and I petitioned the transfer. Justice Egbe later retired as a judge of the Appeal Court.
When my then lawyer, Barr. Egodor, died, Barr. Shegun of Agabi chambers and Barr. Aik Ukpeze became lawyers to the company.
In all, the simple reason the company was denied justice was on the grounds of ‘filing our case at status barred,’ and this was anchored by Donald Duke’s Attorney General, Attah Ochinke.
Against the foregoing high degree of injustice and the present governor being a man of peace, just and humane leader, I call on him to right this injustice by approving the release of the sum of ₦285 million only to this octogenarian, who served this state and nation well through Goodwill Company Nigeria Limited.
Beyond that, this octogenarian is into agriculture, contributing to the state economy and only recently made a presentation to Governor Bassey Otu, who was represented by his deputy, Hon. Peter Odey at the Government House, Calabar.
This will surely further uplift his already high image and put him in the good history books of Cross River State, positively.
Your Excellency, be assured of the esteem of my highest regards.
Hon. (Dr.) Emmanuel A. Utande
Former member of the House of Representatives, representing the old Obudu federal constituency.
