STATE MERIT AWARD: REKINDLING THE FLAME OF HONOUR IN CROSS RIVER STATE
By Anthony EKPO BASSEY
When a people forget to celebrate their heroes, they invite the slow erosion of their own values. It is in this light, with a voice of earnest appeal and patriotic concern, that we call for the revival of the Cross River State Merit Award, a laudable institution which once flourished under the visionary leadership of former Governor Donald Duke.
There was a time, not too far behind us, when excellence was not only expected but also recognized with dignity. The streets of Calabar whispered the names of giants in Medicine, titans in Law, shining stars in Sports and Music, and stewards of truth in Journalism. Back then, when a son or daughter of Cross River State distinguished themselves on the global stage, the state itself rose with pride to say, “This is one of ours.” Those honours were not merely ceremonial. They were moral symbols that were visible reminders to the youths that greatness is within reach, and that home will always honour those who carry her name with dignity.
“The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” If we no longer recognize our heroes, we run the risk of raising a generation that does not see value in service, excellence, or contribution. The State Merit Award, if restored, will serve not merely as decoration but as a vital compass, that will guide the present and future towards integrity, achievement, and civic responsibility.
Consider the silent architects of our collective pride: a young Cross Riverian doctor in London pioneering new techniques in neurosurgery; a sprinter in Tokyo raising the Nigerian flag in victory; an investor in Ikom quietly employing hundreds and stimulating the local economy with the force of vision and faith in our land. Shall their light go unnoticed? Shall their stories remain untold?
“A man who uses his teeth to count his fellow warriors has not seen battle.” We must not belittle the achievements of our own by remaining silent. Reviving the State Merit Award means that the journalist risking life to report the truth, the singer who preserves our language through melody, and the teacher moulding young minds in remote villages are all seen, heard, and celebrated.
Beyond symbolic appreciation, such recognition fosters unity. It stirs a sense of common purpose across local governments and ethnic lines. It tells the cocoa farmer in Boki and the software engineer in Abuja that Cross River State sees, values, and stands with them.
Moreover, there is an economic wisdom in honouring investors and philanthropists who contribute meaningfully to our development. “The lizard that jumped from the high Iroko tree said it would praise itself if no one else would.” But how much stronger would our appeal to other investors be if we showed that Cross River is a place where sacrifice is acknowledged and contribution is cherished? A plaque on a wall is not mere decoration, it is an invitation to others to join in building.
Let us, therefore, return to that noble tradition. Let us restore the Cross River State Merit Award not as a favour, not as a political tool, but as a testament to the greatness that lives among us. Let it be inclusive, transparent, and merit-based. Let it recognize those in the arts, the sciences, education, agriculture, technology, and service. Let it bear the fingerprints of sincerity and the fragrance of justice.
“Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.” If we do not begin now to document, appreciate, and lift up our own, history will pass us by. Let us be the generation that remembered its path and paved it anew with honour.
The time to begin is now.
