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A toast to Dr. Uduak Luke at 40

By Kufre Etuk

To Dr. Uduak Onofiok Luke, a young lecturer with 16 academic publications, numerous conference papers, and a member of the John Maxwell’s School of Leadership, London – UK, life has offered a lot at 40.

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Unassuming, quiet and humble – a character trait alien to wives of most public office holders in this clime, Mrs Luke can be tagged a rare human specie who has quietly followed her husband through different stages of leadership without exuding powers outside her limits.

To her, 40 years on earth has been eventful, challenging and successful and attributes all her achievements to God, her late mother, her beloved husband and significant life lessons she has learnt from influential women including, Hayija Turai Musa Yar’Adua, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, and Dr. Martha Udom Emmanuel, wife of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

“Growing up is by the grace of God, I happen to come from a family where I was introduced to God very early. I’ve had to face situations and circumstances in life that could be really challenging and wants you to do things otherwise. But when I remember the verses we used to recite in the Sunday school over and over again, I pause and it takes me through life. Irrespective of whatever happens; hold on to your faith.”

Women of high academic attainment, exposure and contact like Mrs. Uduak are wont to create a class for themselves, a class that looks down on the not-very-well-placed. This is not the case with her. She sees power, wealth and status as fleeting; and social stratification, a disorder. To the poor and the rich, she adjusts to communicate and relate easily with them. Her relationship with people is influenced by the urbane lessons in leadership she picked up through her mentors and the Maxwell’s School of Leadership.

“Going through John Maxwell’s School of Leadership taught me how to relate with people. How to sometimes bend backward, accommodate the excesses of other people, how to relate with different characters. There are times people would naturally, maybe, unconsciously do things in certain ways you feel shouldn’t be done that way. I learnt that whatever it is you think or feel as an opinion, every other person has the right to navigate their own opinion.”

Born on 9th November, 1981, to Elder Akpan Udo Akpan and Late Deaconess Cecelia Akpan Udo Akpan, of Ikot Udo, ONNA local government area, Dr. Uduak found her perfect match 13 years ago in the person of Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Onofiok Luke who she has followed for years. She sees her husband as the backbone of her success and the only person that redirected her career path to where she is today. She is not the typical politician’s wife, flamboyant and ostentatious in dressing and loud in speech, however she stands taller in humility, knowledge and grace.

Marrying an intelligent and politically inclined personality like Barr. Onofiok Luke may be demanding but to Dr. Uduak Luke, her husband’s insatiable adventure for knowledge motivated her to engage in various leadership trainings. This, she does, not to compete with her husband but to grow their compatibility. “I realized very early that the man I got married to naturally has a high intelligent quotient even if he was not basically educated. Woe betide you, if you get married to such man and think you’ll just fold your arms and watch, he’ll outgrow you.”

The woman who now inspires and motivates others to find, and embrace a happy and confident life, Dr. Uduak never forgot that part of her life that would always want to be alone, face her academics and emerge the best which is the key reason that inspired her to pick up a teaching job at the University of Uyo. She has helped women build self confidence and positive thinking through counselling and mentoring.

For her, contentment and focus should be the hallmark of anybody who wants to achieve anything in life. Dr. Uduak does not believe everybody has the same calling. She holds the opinion that diversity in views is healthy for communal living.

“Everybody has their unique calling and we are all running different races. Whatever it is that you are, you don’t intimidate me because that’s your journey. I have mine and what do I do? Focus! Irrespective of what you think is the trend right now, if it deviates from my focus, you won’t find me there. So, for me, just be comfortable in your skill, stay focused and run your race.”

Dr. Uduak Onofiok remains an epitome of humility, exemplary life to wives of many political office holders. At 40 years, Dr. Uduak has made inroads into her field with Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, University of Uyo; Masters in Clinical Biochemistry University of Calabar, Ph.D Environmental Toxicology, University of Calabar.

Dr. Uduak is (N)Lebosh certified, ORACLE certified; member, WEMBIS (Women in Management Business and Public Service); Member, Environmental Society of Nigeria; member, John Maxwell School of Leadership, member, Organization of Women in Science, UNIUYO Chapter; Member, American Chemical Society and a few others.

Despite her achievements, Dr. Uduak believes everybody, no matter the person’s status in the society, is worth learning from . “No one is too small, big or irrelevant for you to learn from so, whatever it is you want, take it, believe it, work for it and trust the process”.