Pillar Today

  • NDDC Targets 3,500 Patients In Free Medical Mission In Cross River

    NDDC Targets 3,500 Patients In Free Medical Mission In Cross River

    A patient being attended to at the fee medical outreach programme in Akamkpa…recently. 

    By Anietie Akpan 

    Poised to take health-care to the less privileged, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has flagged off its Free Medical Mission in Cross River State, targeting 3,500 rural dwellers.

    The free medical outreach started on June 16 and will end on June 22.

    Speaking at the venue of the outreach at the General Hospital, Akamkpa Local Government Area in Southern Senatorial district of the state, the Director NDDC on Education, Health and Social Services, Dr. George Uzonwanne said the mission was the commission’s intervention in the Niger Delta area on healthcare.

    According to him, the medical mission that would run for one week would treat patients with different ailments and surgical operations would also be carried out.

    “We are running a one week medical mission for the people of Cross River State senatorial zone”, he said adding, “we are looking at treating about 3,000 to 3,500 patients, but not really the number of patients but the number of data points because one patient may have about three interventions, so we are looking at between twelve to fifteen data points in terms of data we can collect”.

    The NDDC Director who emphasized that the mission was purely NDDC project but facilitated by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong jnr. representing Southern Senatorial district in the senate, said, “we have a team that will be here to look after them until they are discharged and well enough to go home but there will be cases that will not be treated in this facility because this is just a secondary facility.

    “We have a referral system where the consultants will refer them to the commission and those of them we can assist, we are going to have them treated in our tertiary facilities or where they can get the treatment.”

    Equally speaking, Senator Ekpenyong jnr, said the choice of the rural area for the medical mission was to provide free healthcare to the poor and those that do not have the logistics to go to Calabar for medical treatment.

    “My understanding on the basic human needs is good health so the first and the best you can give to anybody is sound health that is the primary need for the people of my constituency”.

    He added, “This mission is over seven days, the start-up was 16th of June and it will go on until 22nd. Each day we are targeting at the very minimum 500 people and at the upside 700 people, we are looking at between 3,000 to 3,500 people by the grace of God.”

    Commending NDDC and Senator Ekpenyong, HRH, Ntufam Paul Okon Ntui, the Clan Head of Akamkpa Town, said, “we appreciate the NDDC and the Senator for deeming it fit and I believe that this is the first of its kind from NDDC to bring this kind of gesture to those in the grassroots of the Southern Senatorial district. We feel happy that our people will be treated free and surgeries will be done on those that do not have money to go to big hospitals.”

    The Clan Head who represented the Paramount Ruler, HRM Obol Agbor Ewa however appealed for intervention on the bad state of the General Hospital in Akamkpa.

    One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Priscilla Onda, from Awi community, thanked the NDDC and the Senator for their kind gesture, revealing that she has been having eye problem for the past three years but with the help of the commission, she is receiving free eye surgery.

    She said, “I thank NDDC and our son, Senator Ekpenyong for giving me this opportunity to go for surgery. I have been having this eye problem since the past three years, no help from anywhere”.

  • CISLAC Advocates For Policy Dialogue, Advocacy To Enhance Cross-Border Trading In Nigeria 

    CISLAC Advocates For Policy Dialogue, Advocacy To Enhance Cross-Border Trading In Nigeria 

    By Ita Williams, Calabar

    In a bid to promote cross-border trading between Nigeria and its neighbouring countries, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called for policy dialogue and advocacy initiatives.

    CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa Raphsanjani, made this call during a two-day stakeholders’ policy dialogue event held at weekend at the Transcorp Hotel, Jade Hall, Calabar, Cross River State.

    CISLAC, a non-governmental and non-profit advocacy group, in collaboration with Oxfam in Nigeria, has been actively engaged in capacity building programs focused on Fair Tax justice campaign, Resilience and Climate change Adaptation Programme, Public Financing for Agriculture, Intra-Africa & Global Trade Facilitation, and empowerment of traders, especially women in the informal sector.

    The Executive Director, represented by Mr. Mayo Omowu, said the organization’s efforts aim to empower smallholder women farmers, youth groups, and community-based individuals in advocating for equity and engaging with stakeholders to address their needs.

    He said that since incorporation in 2006, CISLAC has been involved in legislative advocacy work, complying with the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2017 by reporting transactions above a certain threshold.

    Through collaborations with Oxfam, CISLAC has advocated for fiscal and trade reforms to promote inclusive and sustainable development in Nigeria.

    Working closely with the Calabar Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (CALCCIMA), he said “CISLAC has supported the advancement of trade, tax, and investment policy reforms in Cross Rivers State.

    “These initiatives have led to the revision of tax rates for MSMEs in the state and the development of a cross-border trade ecosystem to eliminate non-tariff trade barriers”.

    Recently, with the enactment of the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022, CALCCIMA has taken steps towards domesticating the act in Cross Rivers State and establishing public-private partnerships to enhance cross-border trade in the region.

    These efforts aim to boost economic growth, create employment opportunities, and promote stability for local producers and communities.

    In collaboration with the Calabar Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, CISLAC conducted a two-day policy dialogue session with relevant stakeholders to address challenges hindering intra-Africa trade and develop policies to improve the business environment at ports and borders in Cross Rivers State.

    The primary objectives of these engagements are to familiarize stakeholders with the benefits of adopting the Business Facilitation Act, secure commitments towards its implementation, and lay out a framework for enhancing cross-border trading in Cross Rivers State.

    The expected outcomes include stakeholders’ understanding of the Act’s benefits, commitment to its adoption, and the identification of requirements for its effective implementation in the state.

    Through these strategic initiatives and partnerships, CISLAC and its collaborators aim to create a conducive environment for cross-border trading, drive economic growth, and empower local communities in Nigeria.

    Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary, CALCCIMA, Mr. Keneth Asim-Ita in a statement said the state government through the office of the Commissioner for Commerce and Accountant-General, collaboration with CALCCIMA and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) have combined efforts towards initiating the domestication of the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2022 in Cross River State.

    He stated that CALCCIMA has also initiated a Public-Private Partnership with the state government in the development of a Cross-Border trade ecosystem and the elimination of all non-tariff trade barriers along all trade corridors in Cross River State.

    Asim-Ita said “the engagement with the National Trade Facilitation Committee and the World Bank Trade team is premised on the above initiatives with the specific objective to engage relevant state and non-state actors and secure their buy-in and contributions towards achieving both initiatives in Cross River State”.

     

     

  • Lifeline For Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary As Group Raises 60,000 Tree Nurseries

    Lifeline For Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary As Group Raises 60,000 Tree Nurseries

    Officials and participants at the workshop.

    By Anietie Akpan

    Efforts to rescue Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary in Cross River state from further degradation is on the way as an environmental group has commenced the process of planting 60,000 trees.

    Over time, the sanctuary which is home to endangered species like the low land gorillas, chimpanzees, luxuriant trees and other biodiversity has been greatly threatened by erosion, poaching, illegal logging and others.

    Worried by the degraded watershed within the Sanctuary, an indigenous environmental group in the state has raised 60,000 seedlings of six indigenous species to restore lost areas.

    The group, African Research Association Managing Development in Nigeria (ARADIN) with support from One Tree Planted and StanbicIBTC is set to plant the 60, 000 trees in Badu, Mkperebong and Kalah watersheds in three years.

    Speaking at weekend during a “Community Based Forest Management Committee Workshop”, held at the project site in Boje, Boki Local Government Area of the state, the Project Administrator, Mrs. Mary Undebe said, one of the goals of the project is to provide socio-ecological benefits for four fringe communities, Ebbaken, Kachie, Asuben and Buanchor through job creations, capacity building and improved watershed protection for continual water supply.

    “This project is a beacon of hope and a testament to our collective resolve. The degradation of our Watersheds is a stack reminder of the urgent need for concerted action to restore and protect our environment”, Undebe stated.

    On his part, a renowned conservationist, Dr. Odigha Odigha said the project was timely given that, “the fashion now is eco-system restoration.”

    He urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the project of planting economic trees like bush mango that would fruit in three years time.

    Oh his part, the Commissioner, Tourism, Art and Culture, Mr Abubakar Ewa commended the group for it’s foresight to restore the degraded part of the sanctuary and urged the communities to see it as a welcome development that would promote their tourism sites.

    Ewa who was represented by the Director, Art and Eco-Tourism, Mr Clement Umina assured the group and the communities of the state government’s commitment and support in achieving the set goals in restoration of the forest.

    The Forestry Commission Director on Wildlife Eco-Tourism, Dr. John Odey, the representative of Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Mr Michael Tah and the Sector Head, National Park, Okwangwo Division, Justina  Undelikwo, all charged the communities to be law abiding and stop indiscriminate cutting down of trees.

    Responding  on behalf of the communities, Clan Head of Asuben-Boje , HRH Leonard Akam, appealed to the group and the state government to empower the youths in the communities on skills outside the forest, adding that it would deviate their attention from further destruction of the forest.

     

  • Eid-el-Kabir: Inculcate Virtues Of Obedience, Sacrifice,  Edu Charges Nigerians

    Eid-el-Kabir: Inculcate Virtues Of Obedience, Sacrifice,  Edu Charges Nigerians

    Dr Betta Edu (L), reaching out to the less privileged

    By Anietie Akpan

    The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu has called on Muslims and Nigerians at large to inculcate the virtues of obedience and sacrifice even at this transition times.

    Edu said this in a message on Sunday congratulating millions of Nigerian Muslims as they celebrate the 2024 Eid-El-Kabir across the country.

    She said, “as part of Islamic tradition to commemorate the willingness of prophet  Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah’s command, Eid-el-Kabir is an annual festival in Islam with the importance of obedience and sacrifice, virtues Nigerians must emulate even at this transition times”.

    Notably, Edu stated that “these sacrifices and resilience which Eid-el-Kabir symbolizes are what  President Bola Tinubu requires from all citizens of Nigeria including the Ummah as part of efforts to reduce multi-dimensional poverty and humanitarian challenges in Nigeria in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda.

    “May the divine love and blessings of Allah bring you joy, resilience and faith as you renew your hopes for a better Nigeria, during the Eid-el-Kabir Celebration and beyond”.

     

  • Police Nab Notorious Kidnap Gang Leader, Rescue Abducted Victim

    Police Nab Notorious Kidnap Gang Leader, Rescue Abducted Victim

     

    By Ita Williams, Calabar

    The Cross River State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in combating kidnapping activities in the state with the successful arrest of a notorious gang leader known as “Tallest.”

    A statement at weekend by the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police, Ugbo Irene on behalf of the State Commissioner of Police,  Mr. Gyogon Augustine Grimah, said the arrest was carried out by the Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Squad (ACKS) on 5th June 2024, bringing relief to residents of the state.

    The apprehension of “Tallest” came after the release of Prophetess Emmanuel Otu, who had been abducted by the gang led by the notorious criminal.

    The statement said the victim, a resident of Nyagasang , was kidnapped on 25th May 2024 and later freed on 29th May 2024, thanks to the swift action of the police.

    Following credible information, law enforcement officers tracked down and captured “Tallest” in the CUDA environs, the statement said adding that currently in police custody, an investigation is underway to determine the extent of his involvement in other criminal activities, with efforts ongoing to apprehend his accomplices.

    In a related incident on the same day, the ACKS responded to a distress call reporting the abduction of a young man, Kingsley Eyo Andem, by a group of hoodlums.

    The police team intervened promptly, forcing the abductors to flee and abandon their victim in the Nyagasang creek, where Andem was found with severe injuries inflicted by his captors.

    According to the statement, investigations revealed that the kidnapping of Andem was motivated by allegations of his relationship with the gang leader’s girlfriend, identified as ‘Olismam.’

    She said “the Cross River State Police Command is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure the safety of all residents”.

    Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, has extended his greetings to Muslim faithful on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir.

    He reassured the public of the Command’s dedication to maintaining law and order, urging citizens to cooperate, remain law-abiding, and work towards a peaceful and harmonious Cross River State.

     

  • Eid-el-Kabir:  Gov. Otu Charges Muslims On Values Of Sacrifice, Compassion, Unity

    Eid-el-Kabir:  Gov. Otu Charges Muslims On Values Of Sacrifice, Compassion, Unity

    Eid-el-Kabir:  Otu Charges Muslims On Values Of Sacrifice, Compassion, Unit

    Governor Bassey Otu 

    By Anietie Akpan

    Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has felicitated with Muslim faithful in the state and beyond on this year’s Eid-el-Kabir, urging them to uphold the values of sacrifice, compassion, and unity.

    In a statement on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Nsa Gill, the governor said, “as we celebrate Eid-el-Kabir, I extend my warmest greetings and best wishes to our Muslim brothers and sisters in Cross River State and across Nigeria.

    “May this special occasion bring joy, peace, and prosperity to your homes and communities. Let us continue to uphold the values of sacrifice, compassion, and unity as we strive for a more inclusive society. Eid Mubarak!”

    Prayerfully he added, “May the spirit of Eid-el-Kabir inspire us to show kindness and generosity to one another, fostering harmony and understanding in our diverse communities.

    “Let us embrace the essence of sacrifice and compassion, working together towards a future filled with hope and shared prosperity.

    “In the spirit of unity, may we stand together against all forms of division and discrimination, building a society where everyone is valued and respected.”

    He said, “Eid Mubarak to all, may this celebration strengthen our bonds of friendship and love, creating a brighter tomorrow for generations to come.”

  • Nigeria’s U17 Girls Secure Ticket To 8th FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Finals

    Nigeria’s U17 Girls Secure Ticket To 8th FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Finals

     

    By Anietie Akpan

    Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, have secured their ticket to the 8th FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals to be staged in the Dominican Republic later this year.

    This feat was achieved after a 2-0 defeat of their Liberian counterparts at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Friday.

    The victory took the aggregate tally to 6-1 in favour of Nigeria, with extraordinary poacher Harmony Chidi setting a record of 13 goals in a qualifying series that will be difficult to equal in years to come.

    She had 11 goals before kick-off, but netted the two goals of the evening to take Nigeria’s total of the series to a whopping 25.

    Central African Republic fell by a dozen goals while Burkina Faso fell 1-7 on aggregate to the Flamingos.

    Her first came after only four minutes when she sped past the Liberian defence to toe-poke the ball beyond the flailing arms of goalkeeper Makula Konneh from a cross by Shakirat Moshood.

    A goal feast was expected, but this did not happen, as Peace Effiong had a close call in the 17th  minute and Moshood rocked the crossbar a minute after from 20 yards. She also missed from close range with 10 minutes left of the first half.

    In the 56th minute, Moshood blasted beyond the goalpost when faced with Konneh, but Harmony Chidi made sure of her brace seven minutes later when she lashed the ball beyond Konneh’s reach as Nigeria seized the ball from a defensive slip-up by the visitors.

    The 8th FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals will be staged in the cities of Santiago de los Caballeros and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic from 16th October – 3rd November.

     

  • My 140 Days In Kidnappers’ Captivity In Zamfara, By NYSC Member

    INTERVIEW

    By Etim Etim

    In the evening of August 17, 2023, twelve Akwa Ibom persons were abducted along Sokoto-Zamfara expressway as they travelled to Sokoto. Eleven of them were young men and women reporting for their NYSC camp for the mandatory one-year service, while one was the driver of the Akwa Ibom Transport company-branded bus in which they were travelling. Months passed, and one by one, the captives were released as the abductors received huge sums of ransoms from the families of the abductees. By the middle of June, 11 abductees have been released. I have followed this story with the keenness of a brain surgeon. On November 27, I wrote a piece titled, ‘’100 days in captivity: the story of the abducted corps members’’. I followed it up with another one on December 23. I asked the authorities, including the NYSC management, to do all in their power to get them out. I argued that the government of Akwa Ibom State had a moral responsibility to intervene and facilitate their release since they were only going to serve their motherland. I also made efforts to reach the NYSC DG and hear from him on what the agency has been doing.

    Last week, I met with one of the abducted girls. It was facilitated by one of her professors. Outwardly, she looks like any other young Akwa Ibom lady, but inside, she carries a scar, an emotional wound. She sobbed intermittently as she recalled the traumatic experience in vivid details. For obvious reasons, I will conceal her identity. Her story:

    ‘’I graduated in business administration in 2021 and was called up in 2023 for the NYSC scheme. I was posted to Sokoto State and I really looked forward to serving the country. I love the NYSC scheme; the khaki trousers and white vest; the parades; the drills; the opportunity to travel to other parts of the country, meet other Nigerians and see the vastness of the country and all that. We boarded the bus at the AKTC terminus in Uyo in the morning of August 16. We were all would-be corps members; some of us were heading to Abuja and Kano, but 11 of us were going to Sokoto. We arrived Abuja in the evening and spent the night at the AKTC terminus there. Early the following morning, August 17, we set off to Kano where some people disembarked; and eleven of us proceeded to Sokoto.

    ‘’Around 7.40 pm, on the Sokoto-Zamfara expressway, we ran into a roadblock mounted by kidnappers, on both sides of the expressway. They fired sporadically into the air and ordered all 12 of us (11 would-be corps members and the driver) out of the vehicle. As we were being marched into the bush, three of us escaped, leaving nine of us (four men and five women) with the captors. We walked all night in the bush till we got to their camp where there was a hut, but we slept in the open, on the ground, in the bush, in the rain and sunshine, day and night. I was released on December 7, after spending three months and two weeks with the kidnappers in captivity. I turned 27 in captivity on Friday, December 1. It was the worst experience of my life. We were beaten every day, mostly in the mornings, with iron rod; fed once in two or three days with rice which we cooked without ingredients – just white rice no salt; no pepper; nothing. We slept on the bare ground in the bush, in the same clothes that we had on when we were captured. We had our baths once in two or three weeks in a stream about a kilometer away. A lot of us fell sick and nearly died. I was very sick too.

    On December 7, I was released with another girl – two of us. They led us back to the expressway. I was very sick and could barely walk. On the road, NYSC officials and military personnel were waiting for us. They came in armoured military vehicles, picked us and took us to a hospital in a nearby town where we spent two days before we were taken to a military hospital in Kaduna where we spent about three weeks.

    I enrolled in the NYSC scheme after I left the hospital and I am now serving at (name withheld). I understand that the bus driver was released early this year.

    My father is late, but my mother is alive, dealing in petty business. My elder brother raised money, sold things and borrowed money to pay for the ransom. He travelled to Zamfara twice, bringing the money to designated point along the expressway for the abductors. We were released randomly as the kidnappers did not even identify the abductee on whose behalf ransoms were paid.

    I thank God for keeping us alive and rescuing us from captivity. I still suffer from trauma. I feel unsafe and I’m always afraid, anxious and apprehensive. I salute the NGOs, activists and journalists like you who worked for our release. I have not been contacted by any official of Akwa Ibom State government, but I am grateful to the management of the NYSC for doing all they could to rescue us. I pray for the remaining person in captivity’’.

  • Gov. Otu Dissolves State Council Of Chiefs

    Gov. Otu Dissolves State Council Of Chiefs

    Governor Bassey Otu

    By Ita Williams, Calabar

    Amid tenure elongation, the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, has approved the immediate dissolution of the State Council of Chiefs.

    This was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the Cross River State Government, Prof Anthony Owan Enoh, made available to some newsmen in Calabar at weekend.

    The statement reads, “His Excellency, the Governor of Cross River State, Senator ( Prince) Bassey Edet Otu, has approved the immediate dissolution of the state Council of Chiefs.

    “The action of the Governor is made pursuant to Section 4(1) of the Council of Chiefs Law, Cap C15, Laws of Cross River State 2024. Accordingly, the tenure of the Council of Chiefs had since lapsed”

    The statement further stated that, “the tenure of the Council of Chiefs had already lapsed, and the state House of Assembly had recently passed a resolution for a change in leadership” stressing that, “the former chairman ( His Royal Majesty, Etinyin (Dr) Etim Okon Edet) of the Council of Chiefs had overstayed his term in office” leading to the call for a transition in leadership.

    The Governor, Prof. expressed gratitude to the Chairman and members of the dissolved Council of Chiefs for their meritorious services to the state.

    “The Governor appreciates the Chairman and members of the dissolved Council of Chiefs for their meritorious services to the state and wishes them the best in their continuing roles as Traditional Rulers in their respective domains”, the statement said.

    With the dissolution of the state Council of Chiefs, stakeholders and citizens await further updates on the appointment of new leadership and the future direction of traditional governance in the state.

    In a reaction, Dr Edet in a terse statement said, “The thought Gov Otu has towards me is good and not evil…..as a lawyer I have overstayed but it wasn’t my fault at all. There is no harm what Gov Otu and the State Assembly have jointly done. It is to strengthen the law we all swore to uphold.

    “I have no malice towards none and I have never asked any Governor to keep me. They are all alive. They have always asked me to stay including Gov. Otu himself.

    “When you see a man diligent in his work, he stands before Kings, Governors and not mean men !!!”

    Edet who is the Paramount Ruler of Bakassi Local Government Council, further said, “With the dissolution of the CRS Council of Chiefs, I have become the longest serving Chairman of the CRS Traditional Rulers Council.

    “Thank you Gov Imoke. Thank you Gov Ayade. Thank you Gov Otu for allowing me to make history.

    “I hope and pray that the height I have reached and kept both locally and nationally would be raised even higher in the ensuing years by my successors. In the words of a famous writer ‘achievers blow no trumpet,     their efforts speak’

    “Let me express my profound gratitude to all Traditional Rulers in the State for standing by and supporting me throughout these years. God bless and keep them.

    “On my part: I am pressing on the upward way. New heights I am gaining every day; still praying, as I onward bound, ‘Lord, plant my feet on higher ground’,  – Redemption songs 797

    “In the words of O.J.O. Sanders, ‘The Eyes That Look Are Common, The Eyes That See Are Rare’”.

  • Prof. Akpan Hogan Ekpo at 70

    Prof. Akpan Hogan Ekpo at 70

    Prof Akpan Ekpo

    OPINION

    By Etim Etim

    Eminent economist and university administrator, Prof. Akpan Hogan Ekpo is formally retiring from the University of Uyo on June 26 when he turns 70; and to mark it, he will launch his autobiography and give a valedictory lecture. In April, he gave a thought-provoking lecture on the ‘The Collapse of the Naira’, and the monetary authorities took in a few lessons. His friends, students and colleagues across the country are also planning series of activities to celebrate this accomplished academic and Pan Africanist whose generosity, good nature and intellectual prowess are legendary. On behalf of my friends and family, I send warm greetings and best wishes to Prof Ekpo, my dear friend, brother and mentor, on this very auspicious moment. May God continue to bless him and his family with good health, long life and happiness as he enters another phase of his beautiful life.

    A son of a police officer, Ekpo was born and raised in Lagos where he completed primary and secondary education. He then proceeded to the United States and attended Howard University, Washington, D.C., from 1973 to 1976. In 1975, he won the American Economic Association Fellowship to study briefly at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, with the condition to return to Howard University. He was in the Dean’s list throughout his undergraduate studies and won various scholarships during his post-graduate programme. Ekpo holds a Ph.D in Business Administration and another Ph.D in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is married to Rev (Mrs) Njeri Mbaka Ekpo, originally from Kenya, and they are blessed with children and grandchildren.

    Ekpo returned to Nigeria in 1983 and joined the University of Calabar as a lecturer in the Department of Economics, beginning what has turned out to be one of the most consequential careers in academics. I met him in the early 1987. I had just returned from my NYSC assignment in the northern part of the country and was frantically looking for a job. He was then a senior lecturer. Young, handsome and erudite, he was one of the most likable lecturers on campus, as I came to know. My elder brother, Lawrence, then a postgraduate student in the university (now a professor), was already collaborating with him in some academic works. He told me about Ekpo and suggested that I should go and see him since he had a lot of contacts with some senior government officials in Calabar then. I had never known him before, but desperate for help, I was ready to do anything.

    I went to see Ekpo in his office. It was crowded with students seeking his attention, but he received me with warmth and thoughtfulness, and without any hesitation; he facilitated my first post-NYSC employment – in the civil service of the newly created Akwa Ibom State. I worked for only three months before I moved to Lagos. His gesture etched a permanent impression on my young mind, teaching me to be sensitive, kind and compassionate to people in need. Since then, I have taken to him like an elder brother from another mother.

    When Prof. Ekpo was appointed Vice Chancellor of University of Uyo in 2000, I was a member of the Editorial Board of The Guardian newspaper. I wrote a piece in my column titled ‘’The challenge of a new Vice Chancellor’’, celebrating the promotion and setting an agenda for him. In 2021, he wrote the foreword in my best-selling book, ‘’Inside Story of the Struggle for the Abrogation of Onshore-Offshore Oil Dichotomy’’, published that year. I’m hoping to host him to a big celebration when he turns 80.

    A Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Ekpo has participated in Nigeria’s public policy space for over 25 years. He was once Chairman, Ministerial Advisory Committee, Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja from 1994 to 1998; a Non-Executive Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Member of its Monetary Policy Committee from 2005 to 2009. He was Technical Advisor to the Vision 2010; member of the Steering Committee to Vision 20:2020; member of the Economic and Recovery Growth Committee; member of the Federal Government Minimum Wage Committee and has participated at various federal and state governments policy-making committees in the country. He has also been a member of several Economic Management teams of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    Prof. Ekpo was Editor of the prestigious Nigerian Journal of Economic and Social Studies for eight years and President of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) and a fellow of the Society. In 2008, he was appointed Director General and Head of Mission of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM). He served for 10 years. WAIFEM is a professional and management development institute owned by English-speaking Central Banks of West Africa. He was commended by the Board for repositioning the Institute, especially in the areas of fund raising, research and introducing French language as a course.

    As VC of UniUyo between 2000 and 2005, he was applauded by the NUC for re-positioning the University. He went on to serve as the pioneer Vice-chancellor of the Akwa Ibom State University of Technology (now Akwa Ibom State University) from 2005 to 2007, but had to resign his appointment because his principles of merit, transparency and accountability were being threatened. He returned to the Department of Economics, University of Uyo in 2007. He told me: ‘’Of all the positions I have held, being VC of University of Uyo gave me the opportunity to make the greatest impact. My team and I sanitized the university system. I restored the quality and integrity of the system by stopping ‘sorting’ and harassment of female students. I reduced cultism to the barest minimum. I was the first to introduce post-UTME examination in the country. I stopped certificate racketeering and burst the syndicate that was forging and printing our diplomas and selling them. I started the medical school and changed the medical center to University of Uyo Teaching Hospital. Overall, the discipline I brought to the system gladdened my heart’’.

    He has been a visiting scholar to the World Bank and the IMF at various times and a recipient of the Federal Government of Nigeria Merit Award on Productivity. Ekpo has also lectured in several universities in the USA, Zimbabwe and Nigeria and consulted for several global and national institutions such as the World Bank, African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN-ECA), Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), Forum of Federations in Canada, Center for Democracy and Development, National Manpower Board, Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning, among others.

    He has been a member of various boards and Think Tanks such as the Management Committee of the AERC in Nairobi, African Heritage Institutions, African Population, Health and Research Consortium (APHRC), Clement Isong Foundation, Edet Amana Foundation and New Nigeria Foundation, among others. From 2020 to 2023, he was requested by the Nobel Prize Committee in Switzerland to nominate candidates for the Nobel Prize in Economics.

    Professor Ekpo has written eight books and edited three. His latest book: Nigeria: A Resource Rich Economy in Disarray has been widely acclaimed. He’s published over 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals, chapters in books and other research outlets. He has over 1,850 citations in Google Scholar. His areas of interest include Economic Theory, Public Finance and Quantitative Methods.

    Etim is a Journalist and a Political Analyst based in Abuja