Karoly Takacs entered the Hungarian Army with many accolades bestowed on him as one of the finest pistol shooter.
However, he came when it was already a public knowledge that pistol shooting contest shall be included in the Olympic game of 1940. That alone excited Karoly Takacs since he knew he will be a candidate to beat in the pistol shooting contest.
Unfortunately for him, as build up towards the Olympics began, a hand grenade exploded in his right handand completely shattered his five fingers. His dream of participating in the Olympics was then hanging on one hand which was the left and he was never used to using it for pistol shooting. Karoly living with a burning desires to be part of the Olympic never gave up on his dreams. After recovering from his condition, he immediately set himself to use the left hand to practice for the shooting. For days and weeks, he kept on training himself with no assistance in sight and after some few weeks of self-training and mastery, he appeared in the national pistol championship to the amazement of all his contemporaries. When they saw him, they began to show him sympathy, and appreciating him for been around to watch other shooters. In reply, Karoly Takacs said, ‘I didn’t come here to watch you guys shooting rather I am here fully prepared to be part of the pistol shooting contest. On hearing him, they were surprised since they have never seen him shooting with his left hand. To cut the whole story short, he did not only participated in the contest, but went ahead to won the prize. So, when life throw you down, dust off the dirt from your body and tell yourself, ‘I can do it!
The story of Karoly Takacs could best be liken to His Excellency Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, a one-time Chief Executive Governor of Akwaibom State whom during his tenure, what the whole world and world best professional town and international rated city planners can best described as earth-shaking development were brought into every nooks and cranny of Akwaibom State. Till date the impact of Akpabio’s monumental positive development are still standing tall in every corners of Akwaibom State even down to the most hamlet setting where many thought nothing like development could step into. In fact many people till now sees whatever level of achievements the current government of Emmanuel Udom is making as continuation of Akpabio’s lay out development plans for the state which has a life span of over five decades.Akpabio, a well primed and chosen vessel by the almighty God to fulfil destiny proved many who felt he does not have the leadership qualities to govern an oil producing state as Akwaibom wrong and assembled the best of brains with technocratic background and the outcome of that singular excellent fantastic move is what we are seeing today in any every length and breadth of Akwaibom State, which place the state as one among the finest fast developing state in Africa.
Meanwhile after his successful and well fulfilled two term as Executive Governor of Akwaibom State, the indomitable and a well molded leader; Godswill Akpabio found his way into the red chamber of the National Assembly based on the landslide victory he recorded in the senatorial contest of the Akwaibom North Senatorial District. As envisaged and analyzed by many political gladiators, his entrance into the National Assembly redefined a lot of politicking in the red chamber the such that instantly compelled the PDP Senators of the 8th Assembly then to wholeheartedly rally round him and without any iota of doubt, decided to chose him unopposed to become minority leader. His emergence as the minority leader of the opposition Senators then reshaped a lot of things within the red chamber especially in the area of quick passage of bills, speedy implementation of budge, cordial relationship between the opposition senators as well as the ruling APC etc.
However, as build up towards the year 2019 general elections then drew nearer, the heaviest breaking news of the year 2018 in the political arena broke out. Though before his final pronouncement then, news were already flying that Akpabio had already perfected plans to move to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). And like a dream, he made the pronouncement to the amazement of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) under which he served as Commissioner twice, State Executive Governor for eight solid years and, a Distinguished Senator. All the same, when the pronouncement was made, many felt his moved to the ruling APC could be as a result of the plans by the anti-corruption agents to prosecute him on the ground of the allegation of misappropriation of fund during his eight years tenure as the Chief Executive Governor of Akwaibom State, brought against him by some insignificant political jobbers and charlatans who were afraid of his skyrocketing political profile both locally, nationally and internationally. But, the perception of those political gladiators on that grand were put to indignity in view of the fact that the anti-corruption agents after in-depth investigations about the corruption allegations brought against him, found out that the whole allegations were just mere imagination of those who are by every tickling of the clock plotting how to destroy the hard earned reputation of the Distinguished Senator. They discovered that; it was just a mere rumor and unverifiable facts. They instead exonerated him from every form of corruption.
On the other hand, for the first time in the political journey of Senator Akpabio, the Anang born political bulldozer was seriously humiliated and humbled by the same political structures he nurtured from the scratch to become a force to reckon with both at Akaibom, Niger Delta Region and even at the national level. I am talking about the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in his own state of origin that he left based on his own conviction and national interest. Akpabio doggedly fought as a lone ranger yet, the combined forces of the Executive Governor and the other squad that fell apart with Distinguished Senator Akpabio, make sure he lost his quest to return to the red chamber for the second term. His lost shocked a lot of his supporters across Nigeria but Akpabio as political juggernaut and Maradona decided to take the bull by the horn, he put himself together and rise up like the indomitable lion that he is created by the almighty God to be, took the case to the election tribunal and as it stand right now, Akpabio is likely to be declare as the winner from the tribunal as a result of several malpractices noticed during the elections which were presented to the members of the election tribunal by Akpabio’s lawyers as concrete verifiable evidences.
Moreover,as Akpabio opponent were busy celebrating his political burial at the State level, and the almighty God that picked him from the low level to set his feet on higher ground was busy laughing at them, suddenly he catapulted him to the National level to become an Honorable Minister to the shame of all his political enemies.
When his name and other men of integrity were announced on the 22nd of July 2019 on the floor of the red chamber, many political commentators describe Akpabio inclusion into the cabinet as one of the best decision taken by the Next Level APC lead government piloted by His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari. Their reason was basically on the land mark achievements of Akpabio as Commissioner and Executive Governor of Akwaibom State. The Earth-shaking achievements which covers all sectors ranging from massive human development to unprecedented infrastructural improvement. They also feels in all sense of conviction that he is a nationalist with great integrity and superlative intellectual capacity to deliver on whatever portfolio the presidency will give him as Minister. No doubt, Akpabio’s nomination and smoothly confirmation as one of the prominent member of President Muhammadu Buharri’s cabinet member has indeed and again seriously boast his political structure both locally and nationally. The political structure which many of his opponent celebrated its burial immediately after the senatorial elections which he gallantly lost. Once more, his appointment as Honorable Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria even against all stiff opposition from all angles, is a clear indication that His Excellency Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio is by all standard a vessel specially designed, prepared and molded by the almighty God to fulfil destiny as he had done in the past, as he is presently doing and shall continue to do in his new assignment as Honorable Minister and even till he finishes his assignment on the planet earth.
Aaron Mike Odeh is an Abuja base Media Practitioner, Community development expert and a public affairs analyst.
