The Senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Ekong Sampson, on Saturday, September 23, 2023, advised secondary school students Akwa Ibom State to shun the practice of cultism as it can destroy their future careers.

He advised them to face their studies seriously, adding that great leaders of today never made it through cultism, but through a dint of hard work in educational pursuits.

Sampson, who is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, gave the admonition while celebrating his 57th birthday with the students at Saint Francis Secondary School, in the Eket Local government area of the state at the weekend.

The Senator said he is a product of education and that he became what he is because he took his education pursuit seriously and that is why he chose to celebrate his birthday in the classroom.

He emphasised that education still remains the key to a sustainable and successful life, praying that he would want to see them excel in their chosen careers, becoming medical doctors, engineers, pilots, and so forth.

He said, ”I’m here as a product of education, I have worked hard to promote education because without education I wouldn’t have been where I am today.

”Today, I am the Vice chairman Senate Committee on Education, I thank the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and my colleagues who allowed me to be involved in education in the Senate. The more we promote education, the more we tackle social vices that confront us such as insecurity and the rest.

“So, we must not leave education in the hands of government alone; every stakeholder should be involved in education. During my birthday, I go to school to teach. I have taught in Mkpat-Enin school, last year, I was at Mbo, and today is the turn of Eket.

“We are thanking God that Akwa Ibom State is taking centre stage through a young man called John Obot, who has broken the Guinness World Record in a marathon reading aloud. John Obot has become a national and international Icon.

“Don’t allow yourself to be involved in cultism because cultists cannot get to where I am today. Governor Udom Emmanuel is not a cultist, Senator Godswill Akpabio is not a cultist, and President Bola Tinubu, from what I have heard is not a cultist; they all made it through education.
He further promised to build a serene and befitting staff quarter for the school as a way to transform the entire school.

The Senator started the celebration with a lecture he delivered titled “Imagination in Essay Composition: Unity in Tenses”.
Sen. Ekong donated a token to a few students who excelled in the spelling competition at the end of the day.