CELEBRATING NYA – ETOK A MAN OF INTEGRITY, RARE BREED POLITICIAN @ 58
By Emmanuel Ufon
The celebration of Arc. Nya-Etok at 58 is simply a celebration worthy of identifying with a man of integrity, a rare-breed politician, a God-fearing and selfless leader who believes in the betterment of Nigeria hence his Social Governance Ideology.
Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok who turns 58 on November Ist, 2021 has etched his name in history as a habitual pacesetter in the development map of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, Africa, and the world at large. He has today risen to the pinnacle of greatness and stardom. Propelled by hard work, honesty, and unalloyed faith in God, a successful role model, a political colossus, an economic giant, a professional icon of superlative class in the Architectural discipline, an unprecedented philanthropist, a dedicated Christian, and an epitome of integrity, Nya Etok is a man many parts.
In politics, Otuekong as he is also known has blessed the political landscape with his social governance ideology like a legend with workable examples which proves that he will surely make a difference and redefine governance if given a chance. In 2007, he was one of the aspirants that sought to clinch the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in its primaries.
He proved himself a worthy leader and the right man for the top job by maintaining that “politics must be seen as a divine call to SERVE the people”. However, in 2010, Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok officially left the PDP and became non-partisan until 2015 when he was instrumental in founding the Young Democratic Party (YDP).
He served as the Pioneer National Chairman of the YDP and subsequently handed over the chairmanship to the younger ones as he had earlier promised. The political party was and still is at the vanguard of the ‘Not Too Young To Run Movement”. His roles in the party and revolution in youth participation in politics consequently saw Arc. Nya-Etok was crowned as the “Father Of Youths Participation In Politics in Nigeria”.
Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok is now riding on his personally conceptualized political ideology – SOCIAL GOVERNANCE – as he embarks on a rescue mission in Akwa Ibom state to turn around the fortunes of the state and restore the dignity of its sons and daughters. He intends to actualize that vision by contesting the governorship seat of Akwa Ibom State on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Currently, as a pacesetter, he is persuading the people to understand that ‘moneybag’ politics, vote selling and buying is all about mortgaging their future and that of their generation. Yours truly can authoritatively report that in the 2019 general elections, he voluntarily withdrew when some of his kinsmen approached him at his community ward to sell vote for him. As a man of integrity he cautioned them on the resultant effect of which they are facing currently.
Based on this conviction after accessing Nya-Etok as a rare-breed politician, a man of integrity, this writer felt no qualms putting pen to paper to say that at 58, this eminent Nigerian citizen, a personality whose intelligence, patriotism, integrity, selflessness, doggedness, and sagacity have not only brought pride and honor to Nsiak Community – his hometown but Akwa Ibom State and the nation at large. November 1st marks five decades and a little above half that the benevolent Creator of the universe blessed the Nya-Etok traditional and political dynasty of Nsiak land with a son that was later to become a great icon in the Nigerian political landscape, that blessing will be extended to 58 families in the world through scholarship awards to their children.
Arc. (Otuekong) Ezekiel AniekanAbasi Nya-Etok, a renowned Architect by profession, erudite scholar, activist, author, philanthropist of note, no doubt, has every cause to roll out the drums to celebrate this landmark achievement. Despite being born into a family without a Silver spoon in his mouth, Etok’s passion for hard work manifested quite early as he registered his private companies, one of those companies is NOVONE Consulting Firm an acronym from November 1st a date of his birth.
As one of the most decorated Nigerians in the housing sector, Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok has served on virtually every Housing Committee at the federal level, while also consulting for different states of the federation, and the sub-regional bodies like the NDDC, hence his frequent travels within and outside the shores of Nigeria.
Arc. Nya-Etok’s professionalism and immeasurable achievements have earned him a badge of honor as a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects. He has also been conferred with the ‘Otuekong’ traditional title, which makes him a decorated General of Ikot Ekpene, the headquarters of Annang land in Akwa Ibom state. The recognition and achievements are attributable to Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok in the area of Social Housing; a foundation on which the pillars of Social Governance are erected. Social Governance as an ideology conceptualized by Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok promises to be a veritable template for the transformation of the Akwa Ibom State in all its facets.
Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok has been at the forefront of housing development, having devoted over thirty (30) years of his life to advocacy for ‘Social Housing’ – a housing delivery that primarily targets and benefits Low, and Lower-middle income earners.
Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok is reputed for the qualitative execution of several housing development projects across the state and national boundaries. Arc. Nya-Etok executes residential housing projects, and consults for several state Governments.
Similarly, on account of exceptional housing development initiatives, Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok, having become the first Nigeria to obtain the famous Shelter Afrique housing facility for any state government in Nigeria at the humble age of 37, secured the buy-in of the erstwhile Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Arc. (Obong) Victor Attah constructed the popular Shelter Afrique Housing Estate in Uyo in the year 2000.
The Shelter Afrique housing project benefited over 700 indigenes as contractors. It also productively engaged over 10,000 artisans, laborers, suppliers, petty traders, and the likes. The project thus became a tool and national model for poverty alleviation.
Arc. Nya-Etok’s sense of social responsibility was further corroborated by his sole decision to spend hundreds of thousands of naira to decorate public spaces in Akwa Ibom state during Christmas particularly in the year 2000 to beautify the state, chief of which was the elaborate lighting and decoration of the roundabout by Ibom Plaza which was erroneously assumed to have been a government contract. He single-handedly donated a state-of-the-art building facility to Nsiak Primary School in Ikot Ekpene.
His philanthropic gesture is nationally attested to. Arc. Ezekiel Nya-Etok has won the golden prize on the list of achievers. His achievements, particularly in the housing sector, earned him the moniker, ‘Mr. Social Housing’ in Nigeria.
He has also won several awards and recognition nationally and internationally, a few of which are: The Nigerian Housing Man of the Year Award 2014, The Excellence Award by Nigeria-Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, in Atlanta, USA, Special recognition by the revered Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio, the Akwa Ibom community in the diaspora at their annual convention in Philadelphia, and numerous other national and international awards.
As he is basking in the euphoria of his 58th birthday celebration today in a very special precisely at Vinpy Event Centre, opposite the Dakkada Secretariat (Governor’s Office Annex), Udoudoma Uyo we all wished him a fruit full birthday celebration.
The education colloquium event to mark his 58th birthday anniversary tag with the theme; EDUCATION, THE FUTURE OF NIGERIA, aims at pushing the Nigerian narrative away from OIL to EDUCATION, thereby encouraging the Nigerian society to invest more in Education.
Powered by the presence of, a two-term Governor of Kano State, himself, a Senator, and one time Minister, HE. Alh Rabiu Kwankwaso, Mr. Raymond Dokpesi, Dr. Tanko were all in Akwa Ibom State leading the discourse while eminent Nigerians too numerous to list out joined in the discourse.
For Nya-Etok, it is a remarkable occasion as the birthday “boy” opens a new page for 58 families that will benefit from the impact of his scholarship award on their children. Happy 58 fruitful years, keep it up with your good works.
IBOM VOICE MEDIA 