IBOM 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗭𝗔 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗡 𝗨𝗬𝗢

 

 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐰 𝐍𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐆

If you lived in Uyo in the 90s, you’ll remember “Circus.” That was the meeting point. From there, you could face Wellington Bassey Way, take off through Ikot Ekpene Road, head down to Abak Road, or connect to Aka Road and Oron Road. That junction carried the soul of Uyo. Another name you might remember is “Corridor.” If you truly know Uyo, those names will spark a memory.

circus in the early 90s

It was at that very spot, right in the heart of the city, that something special happened in 2001.

Arc. (Obong) Victor Bassey UdoAdiaha Attah, the then governor and a man we refer to as the father of modern Akwa Ibom, saw beyond the traffic and everyday hustle of that area. As an architect, he looked at that space and saw a blank canvas. He awarded the construction of Ibom Plaza to Jardin Company, and that was how the story of Ibom Plaza began.

Ibom Plaza was not just another project. It was a big dream turned reality. For many of us, it was our first time seeing a proper city centre. It had open space, flowers, wide paths, an amphitheatre, and even a giant screen where you could watch live football matches. That plaza quickly became a pride; a place to relax, a place to meet, and a place to show visitors that Uyo too had 'swag'.

But fast forward a few years later, the story began to change and not for the better.

The same Ibom Plaza gradually became a shadow of its original intention. What once symbolized order, taste and decency started becoming the centre of everything wrong with an urban space. Hawkers turned it into their personal market square. Self-proclaimed prophets screamed prophecies of doom through noisy megaphones. Street gamblers lured passersby into dubious ‘games.’ Pickpockets, area boys and petty criminals claimed it as their territory.

That's not all. Child beggars ran shifts while their mothers sat under shade, waiting for the day’s 'returns.’ Nobody needed to wait till nightfall to get robbed, it happened in broad daylight, right in the middle of the city.

It was clear that something had to give. And thankfully, something did.

ibom plaza 

In February this year, during the monthly sanitation, Governor Umo Eno made a brief but powerful stop at Ibom Plaza. What followed was not just a casual government remark, it was a call for change. The Governor, who was accompanied by other stakeholders including the Executive Chairman of Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA), Hon. Anietie Eka, gave a firm instruction: return Ibom Plaza to what it was meant to be. Clear the street traders. Clean up the mess. Restore the pride.

But here’s what stood out - the approach.

Hon. Eka did not come in with bulldozers and police vans. No. He came in with dialogue, consultation and maturity. He sat with stakeholders: traders, community leaders, transport unions, et al. He organised awareness campaigns. He issued warnings, gave timelines, and appealed for understanding. Only after all of that, did enforcement begin. That’s not just leadership, that’s what we call leading with a human face.

And today, it shows. The Ibom Plaza many avoided is gradually becoming what it used to be; a clean, safe and beautiful space. The noise has reduced. The tension has dropped. The pride is returning.

So the question now is simple: why must residents support this effort?

Because the truth is, no sane society thrives in disorder.

Roadside trading might look convenient, but it comes with a heavy cost. It chokes traffic. It invites filth. It makes movement difficult. It gives criminals cover. It exposes people, especially women and children to dangers they may not even realise until it’s too late.

This intervention is not about politics. It is not against the poor. It is not to punish anyone. It is about structure. It is about giving Uyo a city centre we can all be proud of. A place where people can walk freely, sit peacefully, and interact safely.

Again, we must also learn to appreciate efforts like this. Hon. Anietie Eka could have taken the easy way out, ignore the problem, blame others, and move on. But he didn’t. He stepped up. So we must support his effort, just like we must support the Governor whose vision is clear, to create a safe, clean, working Akwa Ibom for all.

Therefore, the ball is now in our court as residents and citizens. We cannot fold our arms and watch the old ways creep back in. We must help sustain the progress. We must educate others. We must report violators. We must take ownership of the plaza and protect it.

Because when the heart of the city is clean, the whole body feels better.

Like one elder said recently, “If we cannot respect order in front of government house, then where else will we?”

So, let's support sanity by joining hands with the Eno-led administration to maintain security and order in Uyo.