DAKKADA: AN INVITATION TO GREATNESS!

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By Aniekeme Finbarr.

As you read these lines, you may have  come across the Dakkada signage, logo, billboard, television commercial, radio jingle, hand bill or a short video clip trending on the social media . You may also have an idea what it intends to
achieve or you may be completely lost as to why the new catch phrase in town is 'Dakkada'. Which ever part of the
divide you belong, the purpose for which the idea was conceptualized is served. The Dakkada Initiative is the brain
child of the Akwa Ibom State Government with Governor Udom Emmanuel as its progenitor. Dakkada is a clarion call
by the leader of the state, announcing the new day and awakening the citizens of the land to a new era of development and spiritual rebirth.

Dakkada, which means stand up, arise, can be likened to the morning bell, the alarm clock or the alerting sound of the
cock, when it crows in the morning. It invites every Akwa Ibom son and daughter to rise to the faith of greatness, to rise to the faith that in this state named after God Almighty, everything is possible. It is an invitation to abandon the negative tendencies of religion, tribe, gender and language in the dark shelf of history and embrace the amazing opportunities that abound everywhere.

Dakkada is a loud reminder that Akwa Ibom State is blessed with abundant natural and human resources. It reminds us that mother nature has blessed us with 7,081 square Kilometres of arable land, waters and one of the most intelligent set of people in the country. It reminds us of our moderate climate, our beautiful ecological landscape endowed with a wide variety of agricultural, petroleum,
mineral, marine, and wildlife opportunities. #Dakkada tickles our consciousness to the fact that in Akwa Ibom State, you
will find some of the most friendly and hardworking Nigerians, a state where living expenses are comparatively
affordable and where leisure and entertainment are available in an avalanche of options.

Dakkada is not just about standing up. It is about going higher, breaking new grounds, conquering more territories. It is a philosophy that pinches every Akwa Ibom man and woman to ask himself or herself, "Am I there yet?" "Have I reached the peak of my career?" "What is it that I ought to
do that I have not done to be the best?" Dakkada challenges everybody, even the government to be alive to its sacred
duties and to keep to its part of the social contract. A few people may argue that they have already been "standing" in
their fields of endeavour. Dakkada challenges you today, 'How far have you gone?' 'How much further can you go'?
Dakkada is asking you today, 'Are you a footballer, Have you scored as many goals as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? Then you still have a lot of goals to score.
Dakkada is asking the business man, 'Have you made as much profit as Aliko Dangote or Bill Gates? There is still
much more money to make. Dakkada is asking the Akwa Ibom lawyer, Have many cases have you won? How much
impact have you made on the legal profession? Wouldn't you rather beat the records of Sir Udo Udoma or rise to the
pinnacle of the profession like Paul Usoro SAN? Dakkada is talking to the banker today, How much capacity have you
built? In how many years do you think you can equal the record of Chief Clement Isong as Governor of the Central
Bank of Nigeria, or rise to become an Executive Director of a bank like Udom Emmanuel?

Dakkada is asking that young man in the street, How long will you depend on, "Sir, anything for the boys" for a living?
You have to get up every morning and tell yourself, “I Can Do This”. You cannot just sit there waiting for things to happen to you, you have to get up and be your own hero. Dakkada is inspiring Akwa Ibom's youthful population to excel. The days of dependency on crumbs and hand outs
are over. Once the passion is right, nothing is impossible. It is a new dawn of human capital development and wealth creation. Dakkada urges, Dakkada inspires, Dakkada challenges. Dakkada is friendly. Dakkada could be annoying too, especially if you have become so comfortable
in your slumber. Dakkada talks to your conscience. It whips you to size. When you stay in bed beyond the night, dakkada sprinkles cold water on you, urges you to rise.

Dakkada inspires the good student to read, make good grades, excel, make marks in life. Dakkada encourages the public servant to embrace the Protestant work ethic andserve with integrity.
Those who criticize Dakkada are the very people this initiative was conceived for. Dakkada urges you to rise above sentiments, to rise above partisan politics. This is no time for ethnicity and tribe. Dakkada says Akwa Ibom State
is already too small to be sub-divided. The world is moving fast, we must drop these baggage and move with the rest of
the world. Dakkada stirs us like the first verse of our national anthem, Arise O compatriots.
More than anything else, Governor Udom Emmanuel has come with the creed of greatness, his Dakkada campaign,
calling on the people to arise to the faith of greatness, spiritual rebirth, moral transformation and reorientation.
The Dakkada call is a call to rise to the faith that with God, all things are possible; a call to rise to the faith that we can
rise beyond biases, ethnicity, religion and gender; a call to rise to faith of our human and intellectual resources; to
chart a new course for the present and future generations of Akwa Ibomites. Dakkada is a call on the people to rise to
greatness, because that Akwa Ibom is destined to be great. Akwa Ibom State is on a march to greatness. Akwa Ibom is
rising to the strenght of its potentialities. Akwa Ibom is offering hope and presenting opportunities for its people to
excel; our state is creating the needed conducive environment for its citizens and visitors to live and do business. This is a clarion call. Rise to greatness, my
people. Akwa Ibom #Dakkada

ANIEKEME FINBARR  is the Special Assistant to the Akwa Ibom State Governor on Public Affairs.