ONOFIOK LUKE: THE IRONY OF A TRAVAILING MAN-CHILD

By Nsikak Ikrok -

Often times, rare guts, wits and strong resolve are popular ingredients for the making of a successful man. On the other hand, success in life is not wholly attained via human strivings but divine providence often times mingles with grace to illuminate the lives of certain men whose shining star is difficult to extinguish by even a million adversaries. The key driving force that propels such life is God’s amazing grace. Therefore, Rt. (Hon) Onofiok Luke easily passes for man imbued with ceaseless propelling grace that has seen him wading through all storms and coming out unscathed.

Mr. Speaker may not be tough talking nor muscle flexing in nature but his sophisticated mind set, endearing aura, ever increasing charisma, ahead of time intelligence, humanistic feelings and unquantifiable benevolence have placed him far above equals being the most sought after youth in the state and by empirical evaluation, the most celebrated lawmaker Akwa Ibom State has ever churned out since its creation. One regular feature in the life of this cerebral young figure is that he is a man of travails. Indeed he has always been a travailing man-child at every threshold of major success. History can bear us witness when going back in time reflecting on his days in the University of Uyo. He garnered popularity and fame on the wings of activism and at some point had a brush with the powers that be going through excruciating travails before he bagged a degree in law. Since then, possibly by fate, Onofiok Luke has at various times had a brush with the powers that be whenever a higher calling comes beckoning.

Exactly two years today, it is imperative to relive the events that characterized the State Assembly Party Primaries with special mention to the Nsit Ubium State constituency Primary Election held at the Police Mobile Force base at Idoro in Uyo. This day marked another day that Mr. Speaker once again had a brush with the powers that be. Recent postulations by political pundits hold that he was not favoured to win the primary and pick a return ticket to the State Legislature despite his popularity as the people’s choice. News filtering from Idoro gave him no chance of winning despite the unprecedented crowd of his supporters from Nsit Ubium who besieged the venue in their hundreds moved by passion, love and massive solidarity. It was at this instance that the much talked about “power to the people” slogan was made manifest as the strong resolve of disenchanted Nsit Ubium youths was tested and proven as they fought anti-democratic forces to a standstill. Done with the Mopol base debacle, then came the election proper which the divine hand of providence gave Onofiok Luke a resounding victory having escaped the “hangman’s noose” at Idoro.

The highpoint of his travails came as the sixth session of the state legislature was billed for inauguration last June. Existing political configurations and calculations duly bestowed the speakership position of the House to Uyo senatorial district. A subsequent narrowing down of the coveted office to its basic unit saw Nsit Ubium State Constituency being rightly deserving of the office of the Speaker of the House in the person of Onofiok Luke. At this juncture, the powers that be came into play with stiff opposition and manipulation. Procedures in this clime hold that political positions have to be shared on the basis of zoning and equity. As such, the state constituencies of Uyo, Etinan and Itu which constitute the Uyo Senatorial District has the following state constituencies – Uyo, Uruan, Ibesikpo Asutan, Nsit Atai all in Uyo State constituency. Etinan, Nsit Ubium and Nsit Ibom in Etinan state constituency. Itu and Ibiono Ibom all in Itu State constituency.

Going by due process and the age long parliamentary convention that neophytes do not assume the headship of the legislature for lack of legislative procedural experience, Onofiok Luke clearly stood out as a retuning member most qualified to lead the House. However, this order was flouted by unseen hands constituting the powers that be. Another returning member who was touted for the coveted position fell short of qualifying not on grounds of incompetency but because his state constituency currently accounts for a serving senator and as such the same zone must not bag another political big fish. At this juncture, the principle of zoning and fair play was on trial and in the course of events, what held sway was largely an unfair play.

Away from this, other lawmakers from the respective state constituencies therefore stood unqualified to emerge as speaker of the house being their first outing in the state legislature. At this juncture, the lot fell on Onofiok Luke as it was imperative for him to emerge as speaker but once again, the powers that be thwarted a divinely assembled scheme. The rest of the developments that characterized that interregnum is better imagined than explained as the travailing man-child went his way, perhaps travailing in the spirit.

In the process of time, man, nature, providence and all elements of the earth began to jostle for a far reaching change for the man-child not to travail in vain. Series of developments began to evolve in favour of the travailing man-child as he was elected Speaker of the state House of Assembly to avert an impending lacuna when the substantive speaker had his election quashed by the tribunal which ordered for a re-run. It should be noted that this piece is not meant to celebrate the ouster of the then substantive speaker but rather to draw a moral lesson to all and sundry especially political gladiators to the fact that there is the God factor even in politics as seen in the series of events that shape the life of Onofiok Luke. To this end, it is of importance that his life and times so far be used as a reference point in the study of persecution, travails and prevailing.

Mankind must read the signs of the times in human relations and come to terms with the fact that when God calls, he justifies and anoints for a purpose that unveils futuristically. Onofiok Luke and his fate are a study of contrast and irony when making an allusion to the Biblical man-child in the book of Isaiah 66 vs. 7 (“BEFORE she travailed, she brought forth; BEFORE HER PAIN CAME, she was delivered of a man-child”). Ironically, Mr. Speaker has never brought forth before he travailed neither has he attained greatness devoid of pains. It has always been a stormy sail for him rocked by strong dissenting voices against his elevation in life often going into prolongation for him to be brought forth as a man-child. It is on this note and based on the events that unfolded on this date (November 29, 2014) at the Mopol Base, Idoro that it is needful to capture the fresh memories on a significant date like today two years after with a charge to the sons of men to retreat when the finger of God is on track in the life of another.

In conclusion, a resounding tribute goes to the good people of Nsit Ubium for their spirit of dogged patriotism and democratic awareness on this date in 2014 and the above all, lawmakers of the 6th Assembly for setting an unprecedented pace and agenda in enthroning an indelible legacy of an independent legislature.