… Birthday Insignia Re-echoes Enduring Relationship with Erstwhile COS
By Amah Alphonsus Amaonye, DG, African Writers Centre, AWC
In a fitting tribute to a statesman whose public career has reshaped the political, infrastructural, and human-development landscape of Nigeria, a symbolic artwork titled “Ad Infinitum” was presented to the President of the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, on the occasion of his 63rd birthday.
The presentation was made by his former Chief of Staff and current Executive Director (Corporate Services) of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), Chief (Barr.) Sylvester Okonkwo, accompanied by his son, Engr. Rufus Nnaeto Okonkwo, during a courtesy visit in Abuja.
The stunning canvas portrait, crafted to last a minimum of 500 years under optimal storage conditions, was christened “Ad Infinitum” to represent “a friendship without end, and a legacy that transcends time.”
Moved by the gesture, Senator Akpabio graciously approved that the artwork be hung permanently in the Senate Gallery, marking it as both a personal tribute and a national symbol.
Akpabio at 63: A Lifetime of Uncommon Impact
Few leaders in contemporary Nigeria have demonstrated the breadth of vision, speed of execution, and transformational governance that defined Akpabio’s time as Governor of Akwa Ibom State (2007–2015), Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, and now as President of the 10th Senate.
His tenure in public service is often described as “the Akpabio Miracle”, a bold reinvention of governance marked by world-class infrastructure, human-capital expansion, and an unbroken record of loyalty to the Nigerian state.
UNCOMMON TRANSFORMATION: WHAT AKPABIO BUILT
Infrastructure that Repositioned Akwa Ibom
During his eight-year governorship, Akpabio implemented what citizens dubbed “Uncommon Transformation”, a massive infrastructural renaissance that changed the state’s character forever.
His landmark achievements include:
Over 4,000 km of Quality Roads
Dualised highways, urban expansions, and rural linkages that opened the state for business and mobility.
Ibom International Airport
A world-class airport with the first Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) Hangar in West Africa, positioning the state as an aviation hub.
FIFA-Rated Stadium
A 30,000-capacity stadium certified for international matches, putting Akwa Ibom on the global sports map.
A Digitally Equipped Quaternary Hospital
One of the first of its kind in Nigeria, offering specialised advanced care.
Ibom Resort & Four Points by Sheraton
He built the first luxury resort in the entire South-South, together with the Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Ikot Ekpene, turning Akwa Ibom into a tourism hotspot.
Ultra-Modern Government House
A symbol of modern governance and architectural sophistication.
First e-Library in South-South & South-East Nigeria
A globally connected digital knowledge hub with a capacity for over 3,000 users and connection to global research and development books and journals.
Revolutionary Flood Control via 40-ft Underground Drainage
Built with a Copenhagen engineering firm, an engineering masterpiece that eliminated perennial flooding without disrupting surface structures.
Ibom Power & Gas Development Initiatives
One of the earliest governors to embrace gas-to-power, laying pipelines through PPPs with Seven Energy, and building a robust energy distribution network in the State.
Ibaka Deep Seaport Planning
He conceptualised the deep seaport blueprint that remains crucial to Nigeria’s maritime expansion.
UNCOMMON HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT
“The Governor Who Turned Boys Into Men”, as he was fondly referred, Akpabio is celebrated for entrenching free and compulsory education, backed by the Child Rights & Education Enforcement Law, making it a punishable offence for parents to keep school-age children as housemaids or engage them in menial work.
This policy:
- erased decades of socio-cultural inferiority stigma
- uplifted thousands of poor families
- expanded literacy and human capital
- created new generations of professionals, technocrats, and entrepreneurs
Akwa Ibom people still say:
“Akpabio made us believe we could stand tall anywhere in the world.”
NDDC Headquarters: A 20-Year Journey Completed Under Akpabio
As Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Akpabio achieved what many thought impossible, completing the permanent headquarters of the NDDC after over 20 years of operating from rented property.
This singular act broke a cycle of wasteful expenditure and addressed a major administrative embarrassment.
UNBROKEN LOYALTY: AKPABIO’S HALLMARK
Chief Okonkwo emphasised during the visit that if there is anything constant about Senator Akpabio, it is:
- Loyalty to the State
- Cooperation with the Presidency
- Patriotism toward Nigeria
Akpabio supported:
✔ President Goodluck Jonathan during his time in the PDP, and emerged Chairman of Governors’ forum
✔ President Muhammadu Buhari as Minister
✔ and now President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President of the 10th Senate to realize the Renewed Hope Agenda
Okonkwo noted that detractors fail to understand that Akpabio’s loyalty to leadership is about Nigeria first, and not partisan or personalized convenience.
AS SENATE PRESIDENT: A DETERMINED DEMOCRAT
Despite orchestrated criticism, Akpabio’s Senate has:
- Passed historic reform bills
- Fast-tracked economic and security legislation
- Approved landmark infrastructural financing
- Strengthened executive-legislative harmony
- Positioned the National Assembly as a stabilising force
He remains one of the most accessible, public officer, and people-centric Senate Presidents in Nigeria’s history.
“Ad Infinitum”: An Artwork that Mirrors a Legacy
The symbolic portrait represents:
- Indelibility — the mark he has left on Nigeria
- Perpetuity — the lasting impact of his leadership
- Adoration — the affection and esteem in which he’s held
- Significance — a testament to a life lived for others
Chief Okonkwo described it as “a reminder that Akpabio’s contributions will outlive generations.”
A BIRTHDAY, A LEGACY, AND A NATION’S GRATITUDE
At 63, Senator Godswill Akpabio stands tall as:
A patriot.
A reformer.
A champion of human development.
A leader who treats all with the milk of human kindness.
From infrastructure to education, from loyalty to national service, he remains a rare statesman whose legacy continues to adorn the Nigerian story.
