Don Etiebet: Celebrating a brand at 80

By Israel Umoh 

Ubong Etiebet, a one-time of member of House of Representatives who spoke passionately with Straightnews newspaper during the 77th birthday of Don, his uncle declared that “Don Etiebet” is a household name, resonating in different political circles in the 774 local government areas in Nigeria and some countries in the world.

Without any obfuscation, Don, as he is fondly addressed by a large army of his friends, colleagues and peers, is a big brand in oil industry, politics and Information Technology (IT).

Comet might have appeared heralding the incarnation of the great man. He was born in Ikot Ekpuk, a remotely known village in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom. But ruralness was not found in his refined but urbane character and mien.

As 15 September, 2024 creaked, peers and well-wishers rained torrents of congratulatory messages on him as he donned new Octogenarian cap.

Born to a wealthy licensed produce buying agent as a father, Don worked assiduously to be crowned Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), Fellow of Nigeria Computer Society (FNCS), Fellow of the Computer Registration Council of Nigeria (FCPN), Fellow of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (FNMGS), Member of Society of Petroleum Engineers (MSPE), Member of Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationist (MNAPE), Member of American Association of Petroleum Geologist (MAAPG), among others.

The astute academic holds such important Chieftaincy titles in Nigeria, as Atu-Ekong Annang, Obong Unwana Akwa Ibom, Shettima Fune, depicting the leadership and development roles he has played and still playing for the development of his people and growth of the country.

He is a proud holder of a B.Sc. (Special Honours) degree from the famous Imperial College of Science and Technology, England and an M.Sc. in Applied Geophysics from the University of Western Ontario, Canada. Apart, he had lectured Physics and Applied Geophysics respectively at the University of Western Ontario, Canada and the University of Ibadan.

Moreover, Don worked as a Drilling Assistant with SHELL-NAM in Holland and as an Assistant Party Chief with Reo Trinto Exploration Co. Ltd, Toronto in solid minerals exploration in Northern Vancouver, Canada.

On his triumphal return to Nigeria, he set up Earth Sciences Limited in Resources Engineering and Mineral Exploration Company that applied computerized geophysical techniques to mineral exploration. Earth Sciences Ltd was the first ever indigenous Nigerian computer services company in mineral data gathering and processing using gravimetry and aeromagnetic techniques to map mineral and sedimentary deposits in the country. With support from the International Oil Companies and the Geological Survey of Nigeria, Earth Sciences Limited grew so fast that in 1979 it gave birth to Data Sciences Nigeria Limited (DSNL) to market computer hardware and software systems used in those services to others.

Upon his deep conviction, Don veered from the oil services applications to computer applications in public services, education, examination processing, banking, utilities like National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), Central Bank of Nigeria, oil companies, the military, Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) in those days. In fact, Data Sciences also grew very fast in the marketing and maintenance of computer systems having become the Exclusive Distributor of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) of Massachusetts, USA and other OEMs in Nigeria.

Despite the tragic inferno that gutted the headquarters of DSNL, the company remains one of the leading pioneer in Information Communications Technology (ICT) companies in Nigeria, that dominated the superhighways of the public and economic sectors in the country.

In 1990, one of his companies, OBODEX Nigeria Limited, an investment and real estate development company, launched the first-ever Nigerian brand name in Personal Computers the OBODEX-PC which was assembled in Nigeria with the Naira sign keyboard, a first in the country. His landmark office complex building – ETIEBETS PLACE in Ikeja, was completed in 1992 and it is one of the state-of-the-art and admired office buildings in Lagos. The revolution in ICT sector by most Nigerian companies was sparked by his company.

His pioneering and innovative efforts in computerization and data communications made his company the mother-of-all indigenous computer companies in the country and provided the incentive to others to dare and entered the new industry as entrepreneurs. Some of them who left his company are today forces to reckon with in the software development and application in the country.

Undoubtedly, Atuekong’s sobriquet is “grandfather of IT” in the computer industry in Nigeria and this gallant effort has earned him such numerous awards as Life Fellowship of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS). He was instrumental the founding of its legal arm, the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), set up by an Act of Parliament to regulate the practice and use of computers. His pioneering works in the industry contributed to the birth of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) committed to the implementation of the National Information Technology Policy of the Federal Government which made the Federal Government to accept the use of computers in her services much earlier than expected with the launching of eNigeria and eGovernance.

Don also flowered the establishment of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) through his work on data communications and Internet applications in the country.

He has been silently involved in policy formulation and implementation through different fora in government appointments in the country and abroad.

It is, therefore, no surprise that at the most trying period of the nation in 1993, he was invited to serve the country, first as the Secretary of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in the Interim National Government (ING) and then as Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. He brought his spirit of hard work, honesty, dedication, transparency, accountability, and excellence to bear on governance in his office . The relaunch of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) project is one of his milestone legacies coupled with contributing to the establishment of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), an interventionist agency, headed by the former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (retired) who was later elected as the Nigeria’s President.

He first introduced the country’s monetization policy in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as well as taking DPR out of the bureaucracy of the Ministry to make it more effective and productive. As a Minister, he served his country devotedly with many innovations in the management of the industry in the country, leaving with unblemished record.

In 1994, Chief Don Etiebet founded the OBOT ETIEBET FOUNDATION, as his 50th birthday gift to humanity for SERVICE TO MANKIND as the Foundation’s motto says The Foundation is continuing in its philanthropic services in education, health, small business and entrepreneurship developments for the youths.

Chief Etiebet, a firm believer in free enterprise economy, equity, justice and accountability, is one of the leading politicians in Nigeria. Having blossomed in the business and entrepreneurial stratum,  he ventured into the murky waters of Nigerian politics.

He successfully founded and nurtured the National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN) to pursue his Presidential ambition. The party was one of the five registered political parties in 1996 by the then Military Government. He was the only Presidential candidate who courageously challenged the dreaded Military junta to a competitive general election. However, he nearly lost his life in the process as he was hounded, targeted, arrested, detained, and made to rescind his Presidential ambition and to abandon his party. The saddest aspect was that in the March 1997 Local Government Election his party won convincingly at the polls, but the military despot hijacked the process and handed over to the defunct United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP).

In 1998, he was one of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He became a Board of Trustee (BoT) member of the party and ensured that it zoned the Presidential slot to the South. As one of the Presidential aspirants, he was not elected at the party’s National Convention in Jos in 1999, but served as a member of the PDP Presidential Campaign team which won the general election that brought about the first PDP Government in the Country in May 1999.

As a revered political leader from the South-South Zone, he ensured that PDP won massively in his zone, returning all the six PDP governors in the general election to the party in 1999. But due to the interplay of personal and selfish political interests of some elected office holders and other leaders in the zone, they turned against him, and the Chief was schemed out. So, he left the Party and merged his group nationally with the then opposition All Peoples Party (APP) to form the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and became its National Chairman and the Leader of Government opposition.

Later, Chief was appointed a member of the Board of Trustees and National Caucus of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), though a cabal rose up and played him out of the political chessboard.

He is happily married with children and many grandchildren.

As he has breasted the 80th touchline, he shall continue to serve as a match commissioner in many matches until the final whistle is blown.

Many happy returns to Chief on your 80th birth anniversary!