UbongAbasi Ise

  Saviour Akpan, Esq., is a no-nonsense and tough-talking human rights activist who has become a household name and one of the leading forces in the Nigerian civil society today. He is the executive director of COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peace-Building, a registered human rights organization established in 2002 to serve as centerpiece in defending citizens’ rights and advocating for improved justice delivery and peace-building system while also seeking to build public confidence in justice and security sectors of Nigeria. As a National Chairman and a Board Chairperson of Network of Police Reforms in Nigeria, Akpan has played a critical role in re-strengthening security apparatus in the country.  In this interview at Abak with our Editor, UBONGABASI ISE, recently, the vocal rights activist frowns at unaccountability and wanton abandonment of projects in Akwa Ibom State. Saviour Akpan would not mince words in expressing disappointment in the fact that the state governor...

  By UbongAbasi Ise Friday 10 th December 2021 makes complete five years since Reigners Church mishap took place. There is no surprise about the permanent silence on the sad incidence, no surprise at all. Sometimes one could wonder if Akwa Ibom State Government under Mr. Udom Emmanuel is mechanically configured against bearing human sympathy when considered how Reigners church tragedy is forgotten after five years without conscience. If the living witnesses would cast back their mind to the tragic Saturday afternoon of December 10, 2016, they may feel some jolt of dismay given the apathetic way Governor Udom Emmanuel is handling the matter involving human lives, and human deaths. When recollecting the dreadful scenes of the mangled bodies, pools of blood; the heartrending death grunts; the miserable sight of dying children; the wailings of women; the horrible, and pitiful sight of victims solemnly taken away from the scene of the wreckage, one could have expected the governor ...

  By UbongAbasi Ise Abong is a movie produced by Enobong Nkanta with setting in Akwa Ibom State. Initially titled, My Audition Story, the film has gone through subtle modifications apparently for technical purpose. The movie is like a coin with two sides. The obverse exposes common behind-the-scene situations facing movie actors while the flipside relives forgotten cultures of Ekid people living in the southern part of Nigeria.   Although the story captures contemporary epoch, it takes the viewers’ minds back to the past where indigenous cultures, societal ethos, mores and values were highly revered. At its best, Abong is a perfect mix of modern glamour and rural splendor of typical Akwa Ibom local communities. The scenes serve as window through which Akwa Ibom geophysical and social environments could be viewed by the outside world. Directed by Prince JTT Jude, Abong is a true-life story recounting how four actors travel long distance to another part of the country f...

  By Da Daniel Effiong Thank God it is Silver Jubilee of Obot Akara local Government Area. The word "Jubilee" means blast of the Rams horn or trumpet. It signifies a time of release, freedom and a return to original possession, that is, getting back what was rightfully or originally belonged to oneself. It is a sincere belief that now is the time for what to get what rightly belong to Obot Akara and her people in the spiritual, academic, political and socio-economical spheres. In a normal circumstance, a 25 years old man or woman is an adult of marriageable age. At 25, a young individual may be a graduate or prepares to graduate from a tertiary educational institution. This age represents a period of one’s maturity and preparedness to shoulder greater responsibilities. It is a ripe age to regain lost grounds. "For it is the jubilee, it shall be holy unto you, ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the year of this jubilee, you shall return every man u...

  By UbongAbasi Ise Akwa Ibom State is variedly considered to be a home of tourism, place of exquisite delicacies, home of beautiful women, land of exciting cultures, rich colonial histories and all manner of hospitability. Looking at a state that is naturally endowed with essential resources, blessed with clement all-year round climate accompanying with lush of greenery, exquisite beaches and idyllic scenes, there is no competitive heights Akwa Ibom would not have attended in the area of tourism. All that could have mattered most would have been a vibrant entertainment sector that can amplify the beauty of the state to all corners of the world. But sadly, the story of Akwa Ibom entertainment appears to be a tale of a paradise being overtaken by barren wilderness and aridity that leave nothing to be desired about.                  We could ask what would be the gain of the state if its salubrious ambianc...

  By UbongAbasi Ise “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind?” – Matthew 11:7   To the youths, and those that still see themselves as youths, I have these facts to tell you in case no one told you before. If you could see yourself the way your political leaders look at you, certainly you wouldn’t want to go to them.                 The relationship between the political ruling class and the governed in our clime is like oil and water; they can never mix. When you go out to cheer and support your political leaders to get favours, understand that they are not dignifying you as humans who get sense. They only see you as faceless crowd that confer upon them popularity. They would say, “Oh! See the crowd, see the support!” Your face and your name don’t matter. Behind the façade of their smiles and agreeable gestures, these political overlords see you as being lower tha...

  By UbongAbasi Ise Various locations in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, were recently lit with an array of Nollywood stars appearing for the making of Money Man , a possible action-packed film directed by Ezeugo U. Ezeugo.  The multi-million project is expected to be a smash hit owing to massive energy put in by casts and crew members, with attention paid to every detail. The film stars the likes of Zubby Michael, Harry B. Anyawu, Shane George, Eve Essien, Moses Armstrong, Igwe Gravity and over 50 artistes of Akwa Ibom extraction. Money Man is a production of DDP Galaxy Entertainment. The plot of the film is purely a dramatization of a predatory quest for money. Ikenna (Igwe Gravity), also known as Money-Man, is a youthful academic graduate who is seen rising from poor socio-economic background to growing affluence. The nouveau-riche appears to stand above all situations, but for how long would he weather the storm around him? A saying that ‘a chick  that...