A renowned Economist, Professor Akpan Ekpo has narrated how he nipped certificate racketeering in the bud and retained the university’s integrity despite efforts to frustrate the move.
Ekpo stated that while attempting to deal with the issue (certificate racketeering) as the VC then, someone called and advised him not to do it in order not to lose his life.
While reflecting on the issue and others during a Valedictory Seminar and book presentation entitled Essays in Public Finance ‘a tribute to Professor Akpan Ekpo,’ organised by the Department of Economics of the university, the outgoing Professor appreciated God for standing by him to trash the issue.
The former Vice Chancellor of the university also mentioned, ‘‘Cultism was a very big deal, but the issue of certificate racketeering was the major problem. I don’t think I have ever said it before.
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“When I started the attempt to check the problem, someone in the state called me, Prof, leave it alone. This has been going on for more than 13 years before they killed you, but I said thank you, sir, nobody lives forever, I will do my best.
‘‘When we trashed the issue, he called me and said do you have any juju? I said no, I only carried the Bible, and he was surprised. That was what we did to retain the quality and integrity of the university. It was not easy, but we thank God that we are here. The sorting issue was also a big problem, but we had to work on it.”
While acknowledging everyone for contributing to the efforts to raise the university’s standard, Ekpo specifically appreciated the vice-chancellor, Professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, for sustaining the institution’s standard.
Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo felicitated Nigeria’s top economist, Professor Akpan Ekpo, on his 70th birthday, retirement, and convocation of the maiden valedictory lecture of the University of Uyo.
The lecture held for the Professor Akpan Hogan Ekpo Centre for Public Policy, University of Uyo in the 1000-seater University auditorium, had its theme as Nigeria: the Economics of Potentials and the Potentials in Economics.
Governor Umo Eno, in his message of felicitations, described Prof. Ekpo’s 70 years as deserving of celebration, and commended his dedication to academic excellence and sanitizing the University of Uyo community of corruption, cultism and other vices.
Eno also lauded the meritorious service of the ace economist at various institutions across Nigeria and the world describing him as an honourable Akwa Ibom ambassador and a great asset to the nation and the global community.
The Akwa Ibom State Chief Executive commended University of Uyo’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Nyaudo Ndaeyo, for initiating the Valedictory Lecture to give such renowned academia like Akpan Ekpo a deserving honour on his exit from the institution.
He, therefore, directed the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Works, Professor Eno Ibanga, to put modalities in place to commence the construction of internal roads leading to the campus auditorium and Ikot Obio Eka-Ikot Ibok Road that connects Professor Akpan Ekpo’s Southern Iman Ward II community to Mbioto in Etinan Local Government Area.
“For the University of Uyo, the Road I came in through is not looking very good. I can’t come to this University and not do something. So sir, the Commissioner of Works will come and see you.
“Yes, it is a federal university, but this University is in Uyo, and majority of students and staff working here are from Akwa Ibom State. So whatever we do here is for the benefit of our people.”
“Since I came into office, you have sent me a few suggestions and papers. You looked at our blueprint and you took time to dissect it. You have been participating. I am surprised that the road to your village was not done and you didn’t send me a note on that one. These are selfless people.
“Don’t worry, the Honourable Commissioner of Works is here. He is a Prof and former Vice Chancellor. His team will come and look at that road. People who have served our state in one capacity or the other should be honoured properly. We need to rever them,” a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Uyo.
The Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, congratulated Professor Ekpo on his triple celebration and described his 70 years on earth, especially their thirty-six years of friendship, as impactful.
In his remarks, the VC, Prof Ndaeyo, while appreciating God for His enormous blessing upon the celebrants, described him as an ‘Icon and a legend’ whose contributions towards shaping Nigeria’s economic and financial policies have been worthwhile.
“In fact, Professor Akpan Ekpo is an icon, a colossus, in fact, a legend because some of the policies we had in Nigeria, in Economics and Public Finance are from him, so on his own, he has provided blocks to enable this country come up the way it is today,” Ndaeyo said.
In his earlier remarks to declare the lecture open, the Chairman on the occasion, Managing Director of Vika Farms Limited, Uyo and former lecturer of the UNIUYO’s Department of Economics, Dr. Asikpo Essien Ibok, described the event as a worthy celebration of an academic icon with track records of excellence.
This, according to him, earned him the scholarship of the Dean’s Honour Roll in his undergraduate days, adding that his ascendancy to the pinnacle of excellence was connected to his contributions to knowledge and rational decision-making prowess in administration.
The former Minister of Niger Delta Ministry, Obong Umana Okon Umana, who co-chaired the occasion, corroborated the accolades of the Chairman, asserting that the likes of Prof. Ekpo come one per season , but expressed optimism that his legacies with outlive his generation.
Earlier, the head of the Department of Economics of the university, Dr Paul Orebiyi, had described Professor Akpan Ekpo as a titan and juggernaut, noting that Ekpo is worth celebrating because of his contributions to public finance and the subject of Economics generally.
