By Assam Abia / Uyio Okon

As Lord Udo Dick Umoh Etuk marks his 90th birthday, the story of his life reads like a remarkable testament to faith, resilience, enterprise, family values and service to humanity.

Born on August 23, 1936, into the family of Chief Dick Umoh Etuk and Madam Maria Dick Umoh Etuk (née Adiaha Akpan Umoh Adiaha) of Ikot Okudom, Okon, in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Lord Etuk was raised in a home where hard work, discipline, faith and communal responsibility were not merely taught but lived.

His father, a former warder with the Nigeria Prisons Service, had retired shortly before his birth. The family subsequently depended largely on subsistence farming and the harvesting and sale of palm fruits. Yet, despite the modest circumstances of his upbringing, young U.D.U. Etuk enjoyed a happy childhood in a closely knit family where children, regardless of their maternal lineage, lived and ate together and cared for one another.

Those who knew him as a child would probably agree that the Lord Etuk of today has always had a larger-than-life personality.

His father and family members nicknamed him “Mkpoyo Udo”, a name reflecting his boisterous, energetic and lively nature. There was hardly a dull moment around him. Household chores, farm work, school activities and youthful adventures filled his days.

But behind the playful boy was a young man whose determination and ambition would eventually take him far beyond the boundaries of his native Okon.

Lord Etuk commenced his formal education in 1944, at the age of eight, at Okon Group School, then under the Qua’Iboe Church system.

His academic ability became evident early. In 1945, he was granted double promotion, moving from Infant 1 to Infant 2. He later proceeded through Standard I to Standard III before taking entrance examinations to several schools to complete his primary education.

He passed the examinations to Ikot Ubo Group School, Ibeno Group School and Eket Government School, eventually choosing the latter, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate.

His educational journey subsequently took him to Duke Town Secondary School and Hope Waddell Training Institute, both in Calabar.

At Hope Waddell, he acquired the training that would prepare him for the working world. Although he secured employment with UAC in Calabar, his father persuaded him to return home.

Not long afterwards, armed with his West African School Certificate, the young Etuk set his sights on Lagos in search of the proverbial “golden fleece.”

His journey to Lagos was itself a story of courage and faith.
His father gave him three pounds for the trip, although the train fare to Lagos was three pounds ten shillings. Young Etuk was not discouraged. He believed that somehow, God would make a way.

From Eket, he travelled to Aba and boarded the train to Lagos. It was his first encounter with a train, and what should ordinarily have been a straightforward journey became a three-day adventure because of the railway arrangements of the period.

Eventually, he arrived in Lagos and registered at the Labour Office in Marina.

His first job was as a clerk at the Yaba Technical Institute, later known as Yaba College of Technology. From there, he moved through different career opportunities, including service with Posts and Telegraphs and Barclays Bank

His professional journey eventually led him to Shell Company of West Africa, which later became National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company (NOLCHEM).

It was there that his career blossomed.
After years of professional experience, Lord Etuk eventually took the bold step into entrepreneurship.
He established Magna Maritime Services, an oil marketing enterprise that became highly successful.
His business success was not measured merely by personal wealth. One of the defining characteristics of Lord Etuk’s enterprise was his willingness to extend a helping hand to others. His prosperity became an avenue through which many people were supported, encouraged and given opportunities to improve their lives.

At various points, he also had opportunities to pursue university education, including a scholarship opportunity in the United States. However, by 1968, he was married with two young children, while the Nigerian Civil War was intensifying.

Faced with the choice between personal academic ambition and the safety and stability of his young family, he chose his family.

It was a decision he never regretted.
Lord Etuk’s family story is another important chapter in his life.
In 1962, during a visit to Lagos, his father learned of his son’s interest in marrying a particular young lady but did not approve of the choice. Instead, he introduced him to another young woman whom he believed would make a suitable wife.
A photograph and letter were sent to the young bachelor in Lagos.

Interestingly, Lord Etuk recalls falling in love with both the photograph and the letter even before meeting the woman who would eventually become his wife.
Their correspondence continued until they finally met during his annual leave. Their relationship blossomed, their families gave their blessing, and after patiently waiting for her to complete her teacher training, they were married in 1965.

The union was blessed with children and, eventually, grandchildren who became another source of immense joy and fulfilment.

Their first child, Judith, was born in April 1966. She was followed by Constance Ekaete, Imeobong, Enobong, Udeme and Imo. The family later welcomed Edward and Maria, while sons- and daughters-in-law and grandchildren further expanded the family circle.

Lord Etuk and his beloved wife, Angelica, shared 57 years of marriage before her passing.

Perhaps the strongest thread running through Lord Etuk’s life is his faith in God.
Although his early education was shaped by the Qua’Iboe and Presbyterian traditions, he later embraced the Catholic faith, influenced in no small measure by his wife’s strong Catholic devotion.
Once committed to the faith, he became deeply involved in the life and development of the Church.

For decades, St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos, where he lived for many years, benefited from his generosity, particularly through his contributions towards the development of the Church.
He has served in various capacities, including the Parish Pastoral Council, Catholic Men Organization (CMO) and Men of Discipline and Order (M.O.D.).
His faith has never been limited to words. He has consistently supported the Church with his time, resources and prayers.

For Lord Etuk, thanksgiving is not optional. It is a way of life.
His children recall that even through their growing years, their father could often be found on his knees in prayer and with his Bible.

Beyond the Church, Lord Etuk has devoted considerable energy to the welfare of people.
As a former president of the Okon-Eket Community League in Lagos, he played an important role in promoting unity and development among indigenes of the area living in Lagos.
Under his leadership and influence, young people were encouraged to pursue education, with scholarships provided to deserving members of the community.
The League also served as a social and cultural bridge for people living away from home, providing a sense of community and belonging.

But his philanthropy was not restricted to organised structures.
Young people with dreams, individuals in need and those seeking opportunities have, at various times, benefited from his generosity and encouragement.
His philosophy has always been simple: if you have been blessed, you should become a blessing to others.
That legacy of service continues through his children, who established the Abasiama Affiong Etuk Foundation to carry forward his commitment to kindness, empowerment and service to humanity.

For Lord Etuk, the journey of life did not end with raising his children.
As his children grew, completed their education, established careers and began families of their own, a new chapter of joy opened.
The arrival of grandchildren became another expression of God’s goodness.
His family has grown into a larger community of children, sons- and daughters-in-law and grandchildren, a legacy that goes beyond material possessions.

At 90, Lord U.D.U. Etuk can look back on a life that has traversed humble beginnings, education, migration, career development, entrepreneurship, marriage, fatherhood, faith, community leadership and philanthropy.

His journey is a reminder that a person’s greatest legacy is not necessarily what he accumulates, but what he gives, the lives he touches and the values he leaves behind.

From the energetic “Mkpoyo Udo” of Okon to the respected elder statesman, businessman, family patriarch, committed Christian and philanthropist of today, Lord Etuk’s story is one of remarkable transformation.

His own reflection on the journey captures the essence of his life:
“I am so grateful to God that as we went through life together, there has been nothing that we have lacked. We have been blessed to be of service to God our maker, while helping humanity to the best of our ability.”

That is perhaps the most fitting summary of nine decades well lived.

Lord U.D.U. Etuk at 90: A life of faith. A life of service. A life of enterprise. A life of family. A life of grace.