03/10/2024
TRADITIONAL RULERS OFFICE COMPLEX
WELCOME ADDRESS BY RT. HON. BARR. ETETIM ONUK, TRANSITION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN OF ITU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ON THE OCCASION OF THE COMMISSIONING OF TRADITIONAL RULERS OFFICE COMPLEX (TRC) BY HIS EXCELLENCY PASTOR UMO ENO,
GOVERNOR OF AKWA IBOM STATE.
PROTOCOL!
It is with a heavy heart that I commence this address by commiserating with our esteemed Governor, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, over the unfortunate passing of his dear wife. Her death is not only a great Joss to you, sir, but also a significant mental loss to our beloved Akwa Ibom State and to me personally.
Your wife, of blessed memory, was like a mother to me and to the entire Akwa ibom people. She was a pillar of grace, compassion, and strength. Her legacies will forever remain etched in the hearts of those she touched while on this earth. We sincerely pray for the repose of her soul, and we thank God for the life she lived, the legacies she built, the goodwill she shared, and her indelible marks on the sands of time. May God grant you and ail of us the fortitude to bear this immense loss.
Your Excellency sir, as we gather here today for the commissioning of the Traditional Rulers Office Complex (TRC), I wish to express my profound gratitude to you, my dear Governor, for the opportunity you have given me to serve as the Transition Committee Chairman of Itu Local Government Council. Through God's grace, this opportunity has made me the longest serving Chairman in the history of Itu, a privilege I will never take for granted. I owe this trust to you,
Your Excellency, and your predecessor, His Excellency, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel. I also extend my gratitude to our great party, the People's Democratic Party which platform this dream became a reality and Itu political stakeholders. I stand here to assure, affirm, and reaffirm to you that I have committed myself to serving the people of itu to the best of my ability these seven years.
When I assumed office, my team and I conducted a thorough needs analysis of the Local Government, and one of the key areas we identified was the need for a Traditional Rulers Office Complex (TRC). This project was essential to us as it symbolizes the unity of our traditional fathers, who are the custodians of our rich traditions and cultural heritage.
Furthermore, there was an urgent need for the coronation of our revered Paramount Ruler, His Royal Majesty Edidem Edet Akpan Inyang, who, despite his many years on the throne, was yet to be officially coronated.
In recognizing these twin needs, the construction of the Traditional Rulers Office Complex and the coronation of our Paramount Ruler, we embarked on the journey to build this monumental structure. This edifice, I am proud to say, is a replica of the State's Traditional Rulers Office Complex in Uyo in terms of design and architectural input. It includes a 1,000 seat capacity gallery (hall), the Paramount Ruler's office, the Secretary's office, a conference room for the Paramount Ruler, an administrative office for his staff, offices for the four clan heads and their secretaries (all arranged in suits), a central administrative office, the TRC Secretary's office, and visitor conveniences. While we would have loved to carry out the coronation simultaneously, time and financial constraints unfortunately prevented us from doing so.
Nevertheless, having completed this magnificent TRC, we trust that the incoming administration will take up the mantle of completing the coronation of our esteemed Paramount Ruler. There is no gainsaying that this coronation will serve as a final step in solidifying the respect, unity, and honor due to our traditional institutions.
The TRC we are commissioning today stands as a powerful symbol of unity among our traditional rulers, both within Itu and throughout Akwa Ibom State. It is a place where our royal fathers, family heads, village heads, clan heads, and the Paramount Ruler can gather to deliberate on matters of tradition and governance, fostering unity and peace among our people.
I deeply appreciate the unwavering support and cooperation from all our traditional rulers, whose encouragement has made this project possible. The privilege of constructing this complex for them feels akin to the privilege God granted Solomon the King of Israel to build the temple for His worship, a privilege I cherished with strict jealousy and will never take for granted.
I must also acknowledge the unity of purpose and steadfast commitment from our Royal Fathers, the members of the sixth and seventh Legislative Councils, the Itu Local Government Executive Council during my first and second terms, as well as the Transition members, particularly my Vice Chairman, Evangelist Emem Ekpanya, with whom I have served peacefully for seven unbroken years.
Your contributions have been instrumental not only to the success of this project but also to my entire tenure as the Chairman of Itu Local Government Council. To the various Heads of Service who have worked with me within these seven years, Directors, my unwavering vision partner, the
Director of Works and the entire staff of Itu Local Government Council, your dedication, support, and hard work have not gone unnoticed.
I extend my deepest gratitude to you all. This event today would not have been possible without your unflagging support, and I urge you to extend the same, even more of such support and dedication to the incoming administration.
To the sixth Itu Legislative Council, led by Hon. Barr. Bassey Bassey, and the seventh Itu Legislative Council, led by Hon. Effiong Effiong Edet, I am profoundly grateful for your steadfast leadership and collaboration throughout this journey. Your legislative support has been critical in making this vision a reality.
In conclusion, I once again thank our dear Governor, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, for the opportunity to lead and for granting us the privilege to commission this Traditional Rulers Office Complex, a project that will undoubtedly add immense value to the native laws and cultural heritage of Itu Local Government Area and Akwa Ibom State at large.
Thank you, and may God bless us all.
