BY COMRADE AUSTIN ASADU
The 18th of September 2026 will ever remain memorable in the history of the Federal Ministry of Works, Abuja as encomiums, praises, appreciative messages and fond tributes were heaped on Engr Bassey Umo Bassey Ekong (FNSE, FNICE, FNIHTE, MASCE), Director of Highways Planning and Development who formally retired from active service after attaining the 60 years age limit.
All categories of staff from the top management, senior management, senior staff, middle and junior level staff, visitors and well wishers were on hand to pay tribute to the competent, energetic, proactive and result-oriented former Director of Highways, Planning and Development who has been the brain behind many of the key road and bridges constructed or rehabilitated in the past 30 years including the Second Niger Bridge, lkom Bridge, Loko-Oweta Bridge, Third Mainland Bridge, lligidi Bridge and Approaches, ltu River Bridge, Calabar-Ikoneto Road & Adiabo Bridge, Uyo-Oron & Uyo-lkot Ekpene Roads,
Bodo-Bonny Road and Bridges, and the Chanchangi, Koton Karfe, Katsina-Ala, Tamburawa, Obudu-Vandeikya and lbagwa Bridge amongst others.
During his trailblazing public and private career, a versatile Engr Ekong has held numerous challenging portfolios as Executive Engineer ll, Principal Engineer, Chief Engineer, Deputy Director, Highways Construction for South South and North Central Zones, Coordinating Director Highways Construction and Rehabilitation Department and Coordinating Director, Highways Planning and Development Department, his present position before retirement.
Indeed, Engr Bassey Umo Ekong, a scion of wealthy and influential parents was the first child of Obong Dr Bassey Udo and Obangawan Mrs Grace Ekong on September 21,1966.
He attended the prestigious Red Cedar School in East Lansing, Michigan, United States before moving to the famed ADRAO lnternational School, Victoria lsland, Lagos.
He also attended the acclaimed Federal Government College, lkot Ekpene, the Federal School of Arts and Science, Lagos and the renowned University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering in 1991.
Engr Ekong worked with an economic/ transport consultancy firm, Bakonburg Associates after his NYSC program before he joined the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing as an Executive Engineer in 1993 and rose to the pivotal position of Director, Highways Planning and Development in his 30 years of dedicated public service to the nation.
The awesome retirement ceremony was well attended with the presence of Dr Rafiu Adeladan Olarinre, Permanent Secretary;
Alh. Muhammed Aminu Ahmed, Director Office of Permanent Secretary;
Mrs. Emily Osunde, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics; Mallam Ahmed Muhammad Tukur, Director, Human Resource Management;
Mr. Yusuf Abubakar Argungu, Director, Procurement;
Lady Princess Franca Chukwuka, Director of Legal Services; Ededet Eyioma, FCC Commissioner for Akwa lbom and Cross River States;
lkechukwu Okoro, Director, ICT;
Engr. Chukwunwike Ogonna Uzo acting Director, Highways Planning and Development;
Engr. Bede U. Obioha, Director, Highways Bridge and Design;
Engr. Musa Saidu Acting Director, Highways Road Design;
Alhaji M. Y. Sagir, Deputy Director, Budget;
Engr Adebisi Osim; Engr Haliru Mohammed,
Engr Agboola,
Engr David Yiltong,
Arch John Tope, Engr (Mrs) Obi Aniago, Mrs Mary Adams, Comr Fakande, Engr Salisu Jubril amongst others too numerous to mention.
The Minister of Works, Engr Dave Umahi and the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo Esq were unavoidably absent being on respective official assignments.
Some of the staff and guests dwelt on the unique character traits and sterling work ethics of Engr Bassey Ekong:
MRS EMILY OSUNDE, (DPRS): Engr U.B. Ekong is one of the best minds that worked to put many projects of the ministry on a sound footing. He was always on his feet, working day and night burning the midnight oil to see that projects are completed on schedule. He was a great motivator to his staff and colleagues and always had a listening ear, very humble and considerate. May Almighty God continue to propel him to higher heights in his future endeavors’.
MALLAM AHMED TUKUR, (DHRM): ‘Engr Bassey Ekong was a wonderful person to work with because you always knew where you stood with him at any point in time. He was very forthright and straight to the point and stood for integrity and rectitude at all times. He was also very accommodating and approachable despite the enormous pressure that was on him during project monitoring and execution. We will really miss his calm, mature and comported way of life and we pray the Almighty God to reward him with more blessings for his dedicated service to the nation.
ALHAJI M. Y. SAGIR, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, BUDGET: With the limited time l worked with Engr Bassey Ekong in the Federal Ministry of Works, l have found him a truly humble person, very straightforward, committed to his work and all he can do to make things successful. I always appreciate him even though l am not too close to him but the little time l interacted with him as DD Budget in order to actualize the Ministry’s projects, l have found Engr Ekong very dedicated in all circumstances when it comes to official engagements, a truly committed and resourceful public officer. We are really going to miss him in the ministry and l fervently pray that the Almighty God in his infinite mercy will guide him, make him successful and give him far beyond what he had in the service and make him a resounding success in the remaining part of his life’
ARCH JOHN TOPE, ABUJA CITY PARK TENNIS CLUB: ‘Engr Bassey Ekong is no doubt a workaholic, commited to his work and attaining the best standards possible in the engineering field.
He has supervised and executed many challenging and strategic projects which have made the nation proud and we owe him a debt of gratitude. However he has a jolly and convivial side and we at the Abuja Tennis Club have enjoyed this amiable side of him and we will continue to be with him as he leaves active public service. We pray that the Almighty God continue to strengthen and fortify him for the future task ahead’.
ENGR (MRS) OBI ANIAGO: l really appreciate my fruitful interactions with Engr Ekong in the ministry and he was a great source of inspiration and motivation with his advice and mentorship. He really gave his best for the ministry and the nation and he will leave a void very difficult to fill because he considered all of us as one without any discrimination. In my vote of thanks l wished him all the best and the Almighty God’s blessing, protection and guidance as he embarks on this fresh journey in life’.
ENGR ADEBISI OSIM: You can see from the praises and comments today that Engr Ekong’s tenure at Works was truly remarkable and fulfilling. He was a real embodiment of hardwork, resilience and commitment to duty. He never found any job too tasking and surmounted serious operational hurdles to get the job done He was very lovely and jovial also and made everyone feel at ease to reduce tension in the workplace.
No doubt with his brilliance, dedication and ingenuity together with the Grace of God, he will achieve more success and prosperity in the days and years ahead ‘.
During the ceremony, Engr Bassey Ekong dwelt on his remarkable career trajectory which he said was shaped by his late father’s admonition that he should always have an eye on the future when interacting with people:’ ‘Do good, you never can tell who you will meet in future, be humble and do your best in all circumstances in life’
The seasoned professional engineer also revealed that he is quite fulfilled with his public service career despite the numerous challenges he encountered along the way:
‘l feel fulfilled, l feel justified, l feel elated having put in so many years in public service. I have put in my best for my nation, l have put in my best for my engineering profession and l feel very fulfilled and justified at this point in time’.
On of the biggest challenges l have faced in this profession is having to adapt, l learnt to adapt, to leave all the soft background l grew up with behind, if l wanted to work.
If you want to work, you are going to get yourself wet, because in construction there is mud, there is heat, there is rain, so you have to learn to adapt.
The same thing applies to human beings, you will meet all manner of people in life, whether as contractors, as your staff, as your bosses, so you learn to take people as you see them and work with them. I have come to learn a lot of things, humility, be humble and learn to work with everybody.
I faced a lot of challenges in construction, you go to sites where the contractor is not very good and you have to direct him. You go to places where the community is not so receptive and you have to carry them along, you work with staff who are difficult and you must carry them along. So l have gone through a lot of challenges and obstacles in life but l have learnt to surmount them all’ – Engr Ekong emphasized
‘The cheerful celebrant also appreciated his loving wife, Barrister Nkoyo who is an Assistant Director with the Akwa lbom State Ministry of Justice, Uyo: ‘As l leave today, l also want to thank the most important person in my life, my babe, my girlfriend, my wife, Nkoyo. I got married relatively late in life but l remain grateful for being married to her. She has been more than a support to me, she has guided me, she has been everything l ever wanted and more. She is a friend, a sister, a mother and more.
Honestly, being married to her, a lawyer can be challenging at times, because when we disagree it seems l am in the Supreme Court.
But l will tell her that l might not have a SAN but l have FNSE, FNICE and more!
Still, through it all, she has been all what l want and l sweetheart, l love you very much’ – Engr Ekong eulogised
He also had sombre words of advice for the young and aspiring ones: ‘Never lose sight, never lose hope, things might be challenging, now due to lack of funds and you might have a challenging principal who has his own ideas about how he wants to succeed. Your responsibility is to give him as much support as possible to succeed. Do your best as much as possible to make everyone succeed in any situation you find yourself’.
Over the years, a forward looking Engr U. B. Ekong did not allow grass to grow under his feet as he has added numerous professional qualifications to his much festooned cap and is a proud fellow of so many professional bodies, several prestigious
institutions including the:
Nigerian Society of Engineers, inducted as a fellow in 2017,
Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, as a registered member,
Nigeria lnstitution of Civil Engineers (NICE), inducted as a Fellow in 2020,
Nigeria lnstitution of Highways and Transportation Engineers (NIHTE) inducted as a Fellow in 2022.
Member, American Society of Civil Engineers.
We wish Engr Bassey Umo Ekong, the seasoned technocrat, outstanding professional engineer, resourceful project manager and super achieving public officer par excellence, the blessings, guidance and protection of the Almighty God in the crucial days and years ahead.
BY COMRADE AUSTIN ASADU
