* As Governor Otu gets FG’s pat on the back

 Nsa Gill

Calabar, the Cross River State capital, came alive on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, in a display of pageantry, promise and progress that will be remembered for years to come.

The city was abuzz with celebration as Governor Bassey Edet Otu, backed by the Federal Government, unveiled a quartet of transformational initiatives and projects, all in a single day, signalling the dawn of a new chapter in the ‘People’s Paradise’.

The special guest of honour, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, representing President Bola Tinubu, presided over the events in what felt less like routine governance and more like a festival of milestones. 

From aviation to education, from enterprise to digital innovation, the day’s activities painted a bold picture of Cross River’s determination to rise above past limitations and seize its future.

The day began with a gathering at Margaret Ekpo International Airport, where dignitaries, business leaders and everyday citizens converged to witness the inauguration of two state-of-the-art Bombardier CRJ1000 regional jets, each with a 100-passenger capacity.

The aircraft, newly acquired for Cally Air, are to be operated by ValueJet Airlines pending the state’s Air Operator’s Certificate. For Governor Otu, this was more than an addition to a fleet; it was a strategic leap to make Cross River a year-round tourism and investment hub.

“Tourism is the heartbeat of our economy, but it cannot thrive without seamless connectivity,” Otu declared. “These aircraft are bridges to opportunity, prosperity and a sweeter future for our people.”

Vice-President Shettima, delivering President Tinubu’s message, hailed the move as “an economic catalyst” and pledged the Federal Government’s support for sub-national investments that create jobs, attract visitors, and promote trade.

With this, Cross River now boasts a fast-growing fleet: two Boeings and two Bombardiers, with plans for more acquisitions. Coupled with the ongoing construction of the Obudu International Cargo Airport and the Bakassi Deep Seaport project, the state is positioning itself as a logistics and tourism powerhouse.

From the airport, the celebration moved to the heart of Calabar, where the remodelled and fully digitalized Cross River State Library Complex was unveiled. The transformation is striking: blending a traditional public library with a cutting-edge ICT Hub that offers free access to e-learning platforms, coding labs, and digital entrepreneurship resources.

“This is no longer just a library,” Otu remarked. “It is a gateway to the future, especially for our young people. Here, knowledge meets innovation.”

The facility reflects the administration’s vision to make Cross River a digital hub in Nigeria’s South-south region, empowering its youthful population to compete in the global knowledge economy.

The day’s final stop was the 8th Expanded National MSME Clinic at the Calabar International Conference Centre, a vibrant convergence of small business owners, startup founders and federal agencies.

Here, the vice-president announced the disbursement of N250,000 unconditional grants to selected outstanding entrepreneurs in Cross River. “This is part of our resolve to take the Federal Government’s support directly to the doorsteps of businesses nationwide,” Shettima said.

Governor Otu, on his part, pledged continued support for small enterprises, stating: “Beyond agriculture, we are building an economy where MSMEs thrive and drive innovation.”

More than the individual projects, the day carried a symbolic weight: the Federal Government’s open endorsement of Governor Otu’s development agenda. In each speech, Vice-President Shettima praised the governor’s vision, describing his leadership as “what strong sub-national governance should look like”.

For many Cross Riverians, the events represented a turning point, not just in infrastructure, but in confidence. Hoteliers see steadier guest flows on the horizon. Event planners anticipate renewed conference tourism. And young innovators now have a physical space to grow ideas into enterprises.

Tuesday’s four milestones: two new aircraft, a digital library, an MSME boost, and federal validation are interconnected steps in a broader strategy to make Cross River a competitive player in tourism, trade, education and technology.

As one tourism entrepreneur, Bassey Ekefre, put it: “These planes don’t just carry passengers; they carry the promise of a new era for Cross River.”

With each smooth take-off from Calabar, each student logging onto a digital course, and each small business receiving a lifeline, the ‘Season of Sweetness’ extends its reach, proving that with vision, partnership and action, a state can indeed spread its wings and soar.

* Gill is the Special Adviser to the Governor of Cross River State on Public Affairs

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