Veteran Journalist Akwaji Timothy Ogbang Bows Out In Grand Style As Head Of Service 

BEATRICE AKPALA 

A time comes in the life of personages when they get recruited into an organization and when they bow out in style.
The above scenario captures succinctly, the historically momentous event of the passing out, carnival-like parade of Timothy OGBANG Akwaji, former Head of Service of Cross River State as he retired on a glorious note on the 16th of September, 2023.

From very remarkably humble beginning and armed with a Bachelors Degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Calabar, he was recruited into the Cross River State Civil Service as a Science Editor with the Cross River State Newspaper Corporation, publishers of the Nigerian Chronicle Newspaper in September, 1988.

Through dint of hard work and dedication to duty, he was singled out for praises and very high commendations as he rose through the ranks to become the Editor in-Chief and the General Manager of the Corporation.

As a star who is naturally destined to shine, Ogbang Akwaji’s flourishing Civil Service career blossomed into the main stream of the Service when he sat for and came tops among over 200 Directors, in one of the most competitive examinations ever conducted in the Cross River State Civil/Public Service for the appointment of Permanent Secretaries.

That examination was conducted by the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), a foremost high level manpower training institution situated at Badagry,
Lagos. That sterling performance in an examination that cannot be influenced by anyone showed the sterner stuff he is made of and his way to the topmost apogee of the State Civil Service was assured.

His appointment as Permanent Secretary was an event simply waiting to happen.
In January, 2022 the erstwhile Governor, His Excellency, Senator (Prof). Ben Ayade appointed him the Head of Service to help rejuvenate the Civil Service.
Throughout his tenure as Head of Service, the harmonious working relationship between the political class and the bureaucracy was clearly defined such that political appointees and the civil servants knew when to draw the line in their schedule of duty while respectability reigned supreme.
It is to his credit that throughout his tenure as Head of Service, no strike ever occured due largely to his mature interface with labour leaders.

His track record in service will continue to elicit resounding commendations in addition to the 6 already collected from State Governors and the international community.
He is widely travelled, ever transversing the globe in search of more knowledge and acquiring it in the process.
He was from the onset a world class scientist, the type that engaged himself in the onerous task of statecraft and humanism.

The history making day came on Saturday, 16th September, 2023 when, after serving the mandatory 35 years in service, he retired strong, healthy and unbowed.

Brilliant, dedicated and level headed, Ogbang Akwaji’s role in building the service has been remarkable and evidently commendable.

The carnival like-valedictory service organized by the civil servants and held in his honour, was not only very impressive but the words indicating departure, nostalgia, high regards encouragement, praises, commendations and prayerful wishes could only have been poured out for someone who meant so much for the Cross River State civil service.

Ogbang Akwaji’s background is a story of rising from obscurity to the State, national and global stages and he made his marks and left indelible footprints on the sands of time.

As part of activities marking his exit from the service, he made it a point of duty to embark on valedictory visits to some high flyers in the present administration among which were the State Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey and the Secretary to the State Government, Prof.Anthony Owan Enoh.

In both offices, he was warmly received and copious amounts of commendations poured out. The two government functionaries noted that Akwaji’s departure from service is indeed the end of an era.

As he takes his well deserved rest after 35 years of meritorious service, one can only wish him well in all his future endeavours.

Congratulations, Ogbang Timothy Akwaji, you came into the service with a bang and left a bang in all ramifications.