“Those who honour others will forever be honoured and those who wish others well will forever see good, no matter what others wish them…”~ Anonymous
The State Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Akwa Ibom State, Comrade Ini Ememobong on thursday, December 5, 2019 paid a courtesy visit to Obong Michael Afangideh in his palatial residence to celebrate the patriarch’s centenary anniversary.
Comrade Ememobong who was accompanied by the staff of the Publicity Secretariat expressed his joy over the life of Chief Afangideh whom he described as an excellent model of integrity and truth to him and the younger generation. He recounted the moments where the celebrator had to stand on the side of truth against the pleasures that falsehood could have afforded him, at the risk of great loss. Comrade Ini Ememobong thanked the celebrator for being the perfect example of a good politician in Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria by extension and one of the few true ambassadors of a united Akwa Ibom State. He thanked God for his benevolence upon the celebrator, acknowledging him as the source of his life and strength.
The Immediate past SA to the Governor on Project Monitoring, Martins Inyangetoh who accompanied Comrade Ememobong on the visit described the celebrator as a father and wished him more years in strength on earth. He thanked him for being the unifying force in Essien Udim politics and for the role he has played in the past years in ensuring the peace and progress of the state.
In his response, an elated Chief Afangideh thanked Comrade Ememobong for the visit which he described as an indication that he is a child of honour. He reminded him of his “Ikot Ekpene ancestry” noting that his father, Mkpisong Ememobong Essien and himself lived together in Ikot Ekpene when he (Ini Ememobong) was “a growing child” and therefore described his visit as a “home coming”.
He acknowledged God as the source of his life and strength and emphasized love for others, the “live and let’s live” principle and his strive to obey the commandments of God as the principles by which he has lived in the past years and admonished the Comrade Ememobong whom he described as a representative of his generation to follow same principles in the interest of his generation and as the “medicine” that he needs to also live as long as he has lived, in health.
Chief E. P. Umanah, the celebrator’s friend in his vote of thanks thanked Comrade Ememobong for his wise decision to visit and honour the celebrator. He said his joy was that Comrade Ememobong has not been made proud by his achievements in contemporary Akwa Ibom politics, particularly through his office as the Publicity Secretary of the Party in the state but still humbled himself by his coming to honour the celebrator.
