Akwa Ibom @38: Numerous Achievements of Gov Eno and the Many Hopes of Ikot Nte/Ikot Mfon Communities
• A section of the dilapidated Ikot Ibok-Ikot Nte-Mbioto II Road & the collapsed Ikot Mfon/Ndiya bridge in Etinan
Akwa Ibom @38: Numerous Achievements of Gov Eno and the Many Hopes of Ikot Nte/Ikot Mfon Communities
On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, the world was literally brought to Akwa Ibom State, following the historic celebration of its 38th anniversary of statehood. As expected, loads and loads of goodwill and congratulatory messages from within and outside the state trickled in.
While some of these messages resonate with the dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of Akwa Ibom, others have captured, almost poetically, the contributions of those who helped build what is now known as the Land of Fulfillment.
As members of the IKOT NTE and IKOT MFON USA/WORLD FORUM, we have observed, and rightly so, that the outpouring of these messages is not merely an act prompted by the 38th anniversary of the state. Rather, it is a reflection of the new Akwa Ibom that His Excellency Governor Umo Eno has brought forth.
In less than three years of state leadership, the Governor has created a model for governance that other states can follow. Development is now understood as a comprehensive effort that must be intentional and pursued vigorously in order to succeed.
Therefore, it brings us joy to join other Akwa Ibom people around the world in congratulating and celebrating the visionary leadership of Governor Eno, as well as his infrastructural renaissance and empowerment initiatives over the past two years in office. This has undoubtedly elevated the state above many others in Nigeria.
However, in the spirit of the celebration of statehood, and ongoing construction of projects across the length and breadth of the state, we once again appeal to His Excellency the Governor, drawing on his magnanimity towards suffering communities and their people, to extend his support to us by constructing the Ikot Ibok-Ikot Nte-Mbioto II Road, along with the bridge, and the Efa-Ikot Ese-Ikot Ibok-Ikot Mfon-Ndiya Road. These roads and collapsed bridges have condemned us to a life of misery in Southern Iman Ward.
Sincerely speaking, our communities—Ikot Obio Eka, Ikot Mfon, Ikot Nte, Ikot Ibok, Ikot Ese, Ikot Umiange Ede, and Ikot Ukpong—have been disconnected from both nearby and distant developments initiated by our dear Governor, as well as from the opportunities for progress that come with such developments.
What makes our situation even worse is that the Ikot Mfon-Ndiya bridge collapsed over 15 years ago. This has resulted in 15 years of stagnation and a crippling existence. Furthermore, these collapses have paralysed both academic and socio-economic activities. Children are no longer attending school due to a tragic incident where someone fell and lost their life after being trampled on the damaged bridge. This situation is gradually increasing the number of out-of-school children in our communities and, by extension, in the state. If urgent action is not taken, the future will be bleak.
Our business activities have stagnated, and our farm produce rots within days because they cannot be transported to urban markets due to a lack of access roads. It is truly a demoralising situation that has created significant challenges for our livelihoods.
We remember that the Efa-Ikot Ese-Ikot Ibok-Ikot Mfon-Ndiya Road used to be a trunk A road that linked the Uyo, Etinan, and Eket areas of the state. All traffic coming from Uyo used to pass through that road. The axis that runs from Efa to Ndiya junction, after the bridge, goes even up to Oron and Opobo. These crucial infrastructures, which are either non-existent or have collapsed years ago, have not only put us at a disadvantage but have also made it difficult for us to perceive or understand what the Governor is doing in Akwa Ibom, except when we manage to visit the city. To succinctly describe our community experience, we represent a type of underdevelopment and exemplify what a lack of development looks like.
We therefore appeal to our Governor to help us achieve even a small measure of ‘life,’ similar to what he has provided to other communities through various life-enhancing projects.
One such community that is readily accessible is Ikot Esu in Ika LGA, where our Governor recently commissioned a 14.13 km road linking the community to Abia State. He also constructed and commissioned the 1.53 km Ikot Udom internal roads, which provide access to the home of the Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo. These roads are in addition to other strategically and economically viable roads in various communities that he has constructed so far.
The Governor is also overseeing the construction of the ARISE Resort project in the state. Available information suggests that this significant infrastructure, once completed, will create a new growth frontier in the tourism industry in Sub-Saharan Africa. For us, this is a major undertaking, as it is poised to transform the tourism landscape in Akwa Ibom and, in turn, have a ripple effect on several sectors of the state’s economy.
In fact, Governor Umo Eno is actively working on every sector. This includes ongoing projects such as the 5,000-capacity International Convention Centre, a 200-room Ibom Hotel, and the ARISE City Centre, among other critical infrastructures. All of this underscores the fact that Pastor Eno is not only a true grassroots development enthusiast, but he is also a development “Messiah.”
As our Governor continues his rural-to-urban approach to development, which is highly commendable, we, the people of Ikot Nte, Ikot Mfon, and the surrounding communities, are optimistic that our opportunity to feel a sense of belonging in the current administration is closer than we can imagine.
We have faith in our compassionate Governor, who has successfully united the state across political parties and cultures. May God bless our caring Pastor Umo Eno, his administration, and all the people of Akwa Ibom State.
© IKOT NTE and IKOT MFON USA/WORLD FORUM,
