Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
Obong Nsima Udo Ekere is the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The journey to this exalted office of MD had been arduous, tasking and demanding. Obong Nsima Ekere may have seemed suddenness or a happenstance to carnal eyes. But he is a decimal in the hands of God and has made partnering with him a sacred duty. It is why his mobility from the corporate world to political brinkmanship has continued to enjoy seeming divination. Even his meteoric ascendancy in the corporate environment bears the trappings of providence.
Nsima Ekere’s personal highlights include all, but not limited to the following: More than twenty five years of corporate and private sector experience with sixteen years in top management positions, working cross-functionally in a variety of challenging projects with exposure to many different economic sectors. Goal-getter, analytical, highly numerate, result-oriented with outstanding communication and people skills entrepreneurial and creative with a strong drive to succeed. He is a firm believer in the efficient use of resources and quality-service delivery. Obong Ekere is a natural leader, effective, dynamic and resourceful, with a strong sense of value and outstanding ethics. He demonstrates superior ability to operate successfully in a fast-paced public sector and comparative business and social environments. He has developed and nurtured an extensive network of influential, social and business contacts nationally and internationally. His areas of expertise include Construction, Real Estate Development and Property Administration (Local and International); Power Sector Development (Construction of generation and transmission infrastructure with hands on experience in managing the challenges of power distribution), Investment Management and Promotion, oil and Gas upstream Development.
In the words of Plato, argumentation worthy of a philosopher can convince even the gods themselves. Simply put, Obong Nsima Ekere represents the moral voice of Nigeria. Easily, he could talk his audience into positive action. Beautifully, he is blessed with a lush vegetation of rhetoric. He is rich with the gift of the gap. As NDDC Managing Director and a statesman, it is a cherished endowment. As a contra myopic politician, it is a priceless asset. In under a decade he has became tremendously popular and ever charismatic. For all his political rhetoric, Obong Nsima Ekere has registered a vibrant presence in the hearts of teeming millions of Nigerians and Akwa Ibomites in particular. His messages of patriotism have been his greatest assets, knowing no boundaries and blinded to race, religion and political affiliation. He carries about a self-imposed moral burden that Nigeria belongs to all. He is an epitome of modern society’s moral conscience. Obong Nsima Ekere symbolizes a generational gift. Of course since his appointment to that envied and exalted position of a Managing Director of NDDC, recently, his charity has begun at home for his Akwa Ibom and Niger Delta people. His crusade against marginalization of the region is blaring. Obong Ekere is against empty pockets inside wells of money, he is against suffering and smiling, and hunger in the midst of abundance. In his few months of administration, Obong Nsima Ekere has accomplished where many failed. He has been able to surprise even his critics by constructing roads in Ibiono Ibom, Ikono and Ini which were hitherto neglected by the powers that be. The Mbiabong/Nkari road constructions case in point. The voice of conscience strongly believes that Nigeria’s snail speed to development nay Niger Delta is because some parts were deliberately grounded.
Obong Nsima Udo Ekere is a man of great honour and outstanding integrity. He is a seasoned administrator, an academic, a democrat and an accomplished technocrat, a onetime Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
Young Nsima Ekere started his primary education at Methodist Central School, Ikot Abasi 1971 where he passed his First School Leaving Certificate in 1976, the young lad furthered his studies at Regina Coeli College Esene, Ikot Abasi in 1979 and Mary Knoll College Ogoja where he sat for the West African School Certificate and passed with flying colours in 1981. He later attended the Polytechnic, Calabar from 1981-1982 and later, the University of Nsukka from 1982-1986.
Obong Ekere worked as Executive Chairman, Akwa Ibom Investment and Industrial Promotion Council (AKIIPOC), the investments and industrial promotions arm of the Akwa Ibom State Government, responsible for warehousing, and managing all State Governments investments and private sector interests. AKIIPOC, is also responsible for initiating and implementing programmes that drive Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) into Akwa Ibom State as well as creating a conducive environment for business to thrive. He was also chairman of the Board, Ibom Power Company/Implementation Committee of Akwa Ibom State Independent Power Project. As a professional Estate Surveyor and Valuer, Obong Ekere has proved his mettle by picking the following public service appointments: viz: Director, Voice of Nigeria: Federal Government of Nigeria – 2009, Executive chairman AKIIPOC – 2008, Chairman, Ibom Power Project Implementation Committee, Akwa Ibom State Government 2008, Representing Akwa Ibom State Government. Director, Anchor Insurance Company Limited – 2008, Representing Akwa Ibom State Government. Director, Amakpe Refineries – 2008. Representing Akwa Ibom State Government. Chairman, Sub Committee of Physical Assets, Akwa Ibom State Government Transition Committee 2007, Chairman, Land Use Advisory Committee, Ikot Abasi, Member, Asset Sharing Advisory Committee Ikot Abasi/ Eastern Obolo L. G. As – 1996. He was an elected Member, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly – Representing Ikot Abasi/Easter Obolo Constituency in 1997.
A humane administrator, amazingly simple minded and loved by his people, friends and colleagues, nobody ever expected he will venture into the dicey and precarious nature of Nigerian politics. Nevertheless, Obong Nsima Ekere saw the need to boost the socio-economic with political interest of the common man as well as bridge the lacuna of rural – urban dichotomy of his people through the provision of social infrastructure.
The coming on board of Obong Nsima Ekere as the current Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission is a blessing in disguise for the people of Nigeria, the Niger Delta Region and in particular, the people of Akwa Ibom State. He is like a light let and kept on the mountain top. Can it be hidden? That is the portrait of the states man in Obong Nsima Ekere Akwa Ibom State expects more of your magnanimity as the current NDDC helmsman. Surely, you belong to the group of Nigerians who strongly believe that the labours of our heroes past should never be in vain.
