15/07/2025
Hon. 𝘜𝘸𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘮𝘰 𝘈𝘴𝘶𝘲𝘶𝘰: 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗔 𝗟𝗮𝘄𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗢𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱
By Henshaw Nyong
I was on my way to a burial last Saturday in Ikono when I slowed down at Ikot Eboro. What caught my eye was a very beautiful five-classroom block, so I pulled over. There was a borehole beside it, powered by solar. I later learnt it even had modern toilets, something rare in many rural schools. Two boys were just walking out of the compound, and when I asked who was behind the project, one of them said, “Na Capo do am.”
It was American civil rights leader, Marian Wright Edelman, who once said, “Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.” That quote may not be printed on his wall, but 'Capo' seems to live by it.
In our clime, many think representation is about sharing wrappers or flinging cash from car windows to earn the title of Anọ Owo Mkpọ 1. But Hon. Uwemedimo Asuquo, CAPO, as he’s fondly called, has clearly allowed that quote to shape his idea of leadership. He didn’t just renovate or patch the said school, he built it from scratch. For a community that had long been left behind in basic educational infrastructure, this wasn’t just a project; it was hope cast in concrete and roofed in dignity. This is what Edelman meant, service, not performance.
And if you’ve followed the pattern of governance of Governor Umo Eno, then you’ll understand how this single project tells a deeper story of service which mirrors the “E” in the ARISE Agenda; that is, Educational Advancement.
For decades, Ikono Clan in Uyo had waited. Basic infrastructure was either missing or too dilapidated to serve. But under the current administration of Pastor Umo Eno's inclusive leadership, which gave Ikono its first commissioner since the creation of Akwa Ibom in 1987, something shifted. And inspired by that quiet but intentional model, Capo, who I’ve come to learn is one of the Governor’s true disciples, followed suit.
I recall that during his campaign, Capo never promised to be the kind of politician who dances from door to door handing out brown envelopes. No. He spoke about something deeper, effective representation, sponsoring bills, carrying out oversight, and adopting parts of Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE blueprint, with a special interest in education. Knowing the thirst for knowledge among the people of Uyo, he saw education as the surest ladder to a better life.
So now that we’re midway into his first term, it’s fair to ask: has he lived up to his promises? Or were those familiar political lines, sweet to hear but short on delivery?
As a thorough reporter, I did some underground checks. What I found wasn’t hearsay. Apart from the five-classroom block, with solar-powered borehole, modern toilets and even an external fetching point for villagers, I noticed something else: Capo gives more than he’s asked to give. One elder told me, “We only asked that he patch one old block. But he surprised us. This man built a new one, put water, toilet, and still dey talk say e never do reach.”
Beyond his imposing physique that easily makes him noticeable in any crowd, Capo’s real strength lies in how he carries other people’s burdens quietly.
Aristotle once said, “What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.” In Capo’s two years so far, I've discovered that he has an excellent scorecard as a first-time parliamentarian. Maybe I should blame him for not blowing his trumpet like many do. But the truth is, as a lawmaker, whose primary duties are: Lawmaking, Representation and Oversight, he has moved a number of key motions that reflect real problems of his people, motions like government intervention in the Ubara flood, Use Offot, erosion threat in Akpayak, relocation of the Uyo Village Road dumpsite, revival of Ibom Plaza, and even lighting up roads like Idoro and Etinan-Uyo roads at night.
I discovered that these motions didn’t end on the floor of the House. The Executive has picked them up and implementation is ongoing. That shows coordination between the legislature and the executive. And that, to me, is what ARISE truly means.
I also discovered that Capo quietly gave N3 million in education grants to Uyo students in tertiary institutions. Financial support has gone to over 200 constituents, young people, women, the elderly. Many are reportedly on monthly welfare, and a good number have benefitted from medical interventions. I gathered he recently sponsored fibroid surgeries for women in his clan. These, mind you, are outside his official responsibilities.
Now, on the core of his work, Hon Asuquo, who chairs the House Committee on Security, Youth and Sports, has gone beyond attending sittings. He has sponsored many bills, including the Akwa Ibom State Youth Development Fund Bill, which is awaiting second reading. When passed, the bill would create a structured system for youth funding and sustainable empowerment, a tool many believe can significantly reduce crime and youth restiveness.
On oversight, he hasn’t been idle either. The Ministries of Youth Development, Security and Waterways, and Sports have testified that Capo is a cerebral lawmaker who knows his work and is working hard for the benefit of Uyo people and Akwa Ibom at large. In all these too, I found out that his intention has remained purely to ensure Governor Umo Eno’s vision for a better state as enshrined in the ARISE Agenda is excellently translated.
Again, what stands out most about Capo, to me, is the heart behind his work. I like leaders who don’t do eye-service, and from what I’ve seen, Capo isn’t doing any of this for self-aggrandizement. He’s neither ego-driven nor self-serving, he’s an altruistic leader. That’s why, after all my findings, I carefully tagged him a lawmaker with a heart of gold.
As the second half of his term begins, Uyo constituents may now realise they didn’t just vote a man, they voted a mindset. A quiet movement. Steady. Genuine. Human. And if this is what he’s done in just two years, one can only imagine the legacy he’s building.
