CROSS RIVER GUBER ASPIRANTS (8)

Chief  (Ntufam) PETER OJIE

Early in 1962, precisely on January 11, shouts of Joy rented the air for the royal families of Ojie in Odajie and Abuo Wyong and Odakpe in Idum and Egbe Mbube respectively as Peter Abang Ojie, who to them would grow up to be like one of these noble nationalists, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Prof. Eyo Ita, Dr. Michael Okpara, Chief M. T. Mbu, Dr. Samuel Imoke.

After his primary school in 1974, he enrolled at the famous Mary Knoll College, Okuku, Ogoja between 1974-1979; and proceeded to the School of Arts and Science Uyo 1979 to 1981. In 1983, Peter was admitted to read Political Science at the University of Lagos where he graduated with a Second Class Upper Division in 1986. He also holds the Master of Science Degree from the University of Uyo in 2008, with specialization in political economy.

 He is a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph-D) in international relations at the University of Uyo, and has also attended several capacity building workshops, especially in human engineering at the Coventry University London.

Peter Abang Ojie had his first experience in service delivery during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 1986 with the Guardian Newspaper, where he was retained as Staff Writer/Reporter and later progressed to the position of a sub-Editor and Line Editor before moving to the rank of an Editor with the Weekly Metropolitan in 1989.

 Thereafter, he joined another media outfit, the GCC Communications Limited in Jos, before his appointment as a member Board of Directors of the Cross River State Broadcasting Corporation (CRBC). An appointment that can best be described as plenipotentiary.

 Peter Abang Ojie was appointed Chairman of the Ogoja Local Government Council between 2003-2004 and served con-currently as chairman of chairmen through a voice vote by all 18 chairmen of councils in the state, a mark of acceptability and imbued leadership. Upon completion of his assignment he was immediately elected as State Deputy Chairman of the PDP; a position he held creditably for eight years without blemish.

 Peter was invited to join the State Executive Council in the administration of Senator Liyel Imoke, as Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, a position he has used to further prove his sterling leadership qualities as a great and creative mobilizer of both human and material resources for the attainment of collective goals.

 He is a Regent to the Odakpe lineage in Egbe Mbube, and the Abuo Eyong royal family in Idum Mbube, and at Odajie his contributions to the development of the community combine with his royalty which earned him the title ‘BUTURO LEKWANU’ in Odajie, BUTURO OSARR in Egbe Mbube, Edem M’MBE in Edide, NTUFAM in Etung and  Big  Qua Town in Calabar.

 He was  first conferred with the Chieftaincy title of Ntufam bu Etung Nation, alongside the European Union Ambassador in 2012 and in 2013, the  Ndidem of the Qua’s crystallized the title by conferring him with the title of Ntufam Asot Atoe.

He is a recipient of the Crystal Plague, a Merit Award for Outstanding Commissioners in State(s) and Federal Civil/Public Service conferred by the House of Representatives Committee on Governmental Affairs and a co-recipient of an award of Honours with Governor Liyel Imoke by the State Chapter of the National Youth Movement Nigeria for grassroot mobilization and youth friendly programmes in the State.

He is also a recipient of several awards including the Distinguished Service Award by the Rotary Club International District 9140 Nigeria and a patron of several Youths and Students’ Associations, including the National Association of Cross River State Students Worldwide and a recipient of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Award for his selfless service to that tier of governance. He is a prestigious Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administrators and a recipient of the Award of Honour by the State Chief Judge, Justice Okoi Itam, for effective partnership with the State Judiciary to achieve set goals.

 Ntufam Peter Abang Ojie is a deeply religious person and a knight of the Order of Saint John International, who at initiation was commissioned a Major in that order (KSJ). He was sacramentally married to Late Mrs Martina Peter-Ojie. Eight years after her demise he met and sacramentally married the amiable Devina Peter-Ojie. He is a homely person with his children, relations and friends as he would say, “these are people that make life meaningful and worth living”.

Ntufam Peter Ojie believes that the State remains the most important mechanism of ensuring collective direction for the society, protecting and projecting the common will with a political leadership as the major determinant of good governance.

He believes that a new approach to leadership is required if a new dawn characterized by peace and prosperity is to be witnessed or to bring about a change in the social, economic and political conditions in the State.

 The best leaders in history have always assumed a father figure to their people and they quite often do things deliberately to remind the people that as old warriors with all the scars inflicted on them by life of service, they would not compromise the safety, comfort and security of the people.

As one that has served both as participant and a close observer of the system, he intends to capitalize on the stasis of under-development and civil service orientation to bring about a robust enterprise development of our youths, which will create the road to economic prosperity and wealth creation very attractive for Cross Riverians.

Indeed governance must be taken as serious business, hence the need to pay attention to the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the following cardinal sectors as imperative in his agenda;

In giving attention to tourism aimed at making Cross River State not just a destination, but “a home for all”.

Having identified abundant natural resources, he will build on Current effort as manifests in the Shongai programmes, agro plantation and micro credit schemes by providing incentives and other rebates/subsidies to boost integrated agro-based economy and micro credit schemes to woo investors.

In recognition of the peculiarity of our circumstances and geography, poverty alleviation shall be given attention through participatory and accountable governance, create wealth and human-centered development in a manner that is ICT-Compliant.

There is also interest in deepening of the current drive in the provision of adequate Health Care delivery and ensure that the people are alive and healthy. The provision of adequate and accessible healthcare services will be made free for minors and pregnant women, in addition to free healthcare services for the elderly and senior citizens

Also, efforts would be intensified to establish a Department of Resource Development to optimize the benefits to the people and the State. Ntufam Ojie intends to intensify recovery of Bakassi.

His determination to achieve excellence is built upon the belief in the capacity of the state to overcome challenges, in line with Billy Dudley’s doctrine that “challenges in whatever form should serve as the building blocks of any development”. His cardinal programmes will serve as the platform of transforming/making Cross River State not just a destination but “A Home For All”  through social service delivery, good governance, security of lives and property and industrialization anchored on integrated value-added agriculture.