AKWA IBOM COLOUR ORANGE: THE CELEBRATION OF FRIVOLITY

By Anietie Usen
As a social scientist, I am required to state my propensities before I undertake an
analysis on any issue. In big grammar, this requirement is called value free relativism.
So, to start with, I am not a fan of colour orange. Never been tripped by any shade of
this colour. Have always criticized those who chose it as Akwa Ibom State colour. I
believe little or no thought went into that choice at that time, 30 years ago. I think it is
a weak colour, uninspiring, faint, cheap, childish, shadowy and pedestrian. Cannot
imagine buying an orange trouser, orange jacket, orange shirt, orange shoes, orange
socks, orange pant, orange singlet, orange car or painting my house or office or
anything with orange paint. Ridiculous. Odd. Laughable.
The only orange am in love with is the orange fruits in Akwa Ibom State. Ironically, the
orange fruit in Akwa Ibom State is not the same orange, that the state government is
currently flirting with. Our orange is a shade of green and yellow, depending on the
stage of its ripeness or unripeness. Well, to be fair, there is an orange in Akwa Ibom
State that is perhaps close to the official colour of the State: Fanta Orange. Infantile.
Immature. Kiddies stuff. Not for me or you, I guess.
Think about the flags of nations around the world that you admire; think about all the
jerseys of football clubs that you love in Europe and around the world; and tell me how
many of them are colour orange. What does that tell you? A people or group are
sometimes as strong, confident and proud as some of the values, symbols and images
that they imbibe, identify with and project.
I think if there is any positive side to this frivolous celebration of colour orange by the
Governor Udom Emmanuel government, it is the fact that it should give us the
opportunity as a people to debate whether this is the best colour in the whole wide
world that our State and our people should be identified with and how relevant or related
or meaningful it is to our dominant ethos, and how strong it is in inspiring and
galvanizing our people to greater heights in years to come. Ethos, to social scientists,
refer to "the fundamental character or spirit of a people or culture; the underlying
sentiment that informs the beliefs, customs, or practices of a group or society;
dominant assumptions of a people or period".
Again, to be fair, I have read some online materials that say colour orange stands for
happiness, joy and sunshine, which is not a bad idea altogether. But I have also read
other online sources that say "too much orange causes self-centered and self-serving
qualities, including pride, arrogance, and lack of care for others, while little orange
causes loss of motivation, lower self-esteem, and loneliness". Either way, head or tail,
this is a losing colour. Don't celebrate it.