Visiting Uyo? Let’s Meet At Ibom Plaza Tonight
2 min read
The Ibom recreational and tourism facility, otherwise known as Ibom Plaza, was built by the Victor Attah administration to provide recreational service as well as provide aesthesis to the heart of the capital city of Uyo.
The facility is situated in three prongs: Plaza by Ikot Ekpene Road, that is besides Polaris Bank, along Ikot Ekpene Road; Plaza by Oron Road, beside the former First Bank and Plaza by Aka Road, behind the former First Bank.
To facilitate the recreational service that was envisaged by the state government, a giant size television was installed and maintained by the Attah administration. However, when Senator Godswill Akpabio came on board, the television and the water fountain gallery were left to rot. The entire maintenance architecture and business facilities were abandoned and the beauty of Ibom Plaza evaporated into thin air, a development that paved way for a rising trend of criminal activities like looting, rape, robbery and cultism.
During the first term of Akpabio, Ibom Plaza was locked and sealed for a period of three years. The facility was overtaken by criminal activities and needed renovation.
Surprisingly, when it was finally opened, following severe pressure and massive outcry, no renovation was done, save for a little blue caravan, painted in police colour, for a police post.
Today, Ibom Plaza has gradually bubbled back to life, but wine and food vendors say it is a shadow of what it used to be. They rain abuses and blames on Akpabio for abandoning the water fountain that beautified the Ibom connection and allowing the giant size television on the Aka road axis of the Plaza to rot.
They also blame the current state governor, Udom Emmanuel for what they describe as window dressing of the Plaza. Ekatete Ekpenyong, a wine vendor at the plaza said the governor should have maintained the Plaza television and water fountain, instead of bringing television each time Nigeria has football. She described the two Governors as insincere leaders and ObongAttah as a true, visionary and focused Governor.
In spite the decaying infrastructure, fun seekers still create time to sit out with loved ones at the Ibom Plaza. Lovers, relatives, friends still prefer Ibom Plaza, especially at night, to unwind. So, if you are a fun seeker and desirous of Uyo delicacies at a cheap price, then let’s meet at the plaza tonight.
