CELEBRATING A LIFE OF SERVICE AND GRACE: UKANDI EMMANUEL OGAR IDUKU BOWS OUT AFTER 35 YEARS. 

 

 

✓ Obudu gathers in thanksgiving as family, friends, and colleagues honour a humble civil servant’s remarkable journey

 

By Amawu, Cletus Albert Amawu.

 

 

 

 

 

It was a day of joy, colour, and gratitude as the Roman Catholic Mission Parish, Udigie–Ranch Road, Obudu Local Government Area, Cross River State, came alive on Sunday, 7th September 2025. The occasion was the thanksgiving service in honour of Ukandi Emmanuel Ogar Iduku, who retired from the Cross River State civil service after 35 years of meritorious service.

 

 

From the pews to the churchyard, the atmosphere radiated warmth as family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers gathered to celebrate a man many described as “humble, approachable, and selfless”. The ceremony combined solemn thanksgiving to God with the pageantry of a community eager to salute one of its finest. There was no shortage of food, drinks, and heartfelt tributes—testimony to a personality both deeply loved and widely respected.

 

 

 

A Career of Resilience and Impact

 

Mr Iduku’s journey through public service reflects resilience and quiet dedication. Having worked briefly in teaching and banking before joining the Cross River State Government, he steadily rose through the ranks to become Registrar and later Director of Cooperatives in the Ministry of Social Welfare and Community Development.

 

In that capacity, he championed grassroots empowerment through cooperative societies, an area where his work left an enduring mark on community development and economic participation across the state. To colleagues, he was more than a civil servant; he was a mentor who balanced firmness with fairness.

 

 

 

The Man Behind the Titles

 

Away from his official duties, Iduku is known as a devoted husband to Mrs Margaret Ogar and a father of six. Those who shared the day with him spoke not only of his professional legacy but of his quiet generosity, accessibility, and faith. His personality, described as “warm yet principled”, made him a natural bridge between people of diverse backgrounds.

 

 

 

An Occasion of Gratitude and Festivity

 

The thanksgiving mass was as much a spiritual offering as it was a community festival. Old colleagues from the Ministry of Social Welfare and Community Development, friends from the cooperative movement, neighbours, and extended family all turned out. Laughter mingled with music, plates were filled, and glasses clinked in an atmosphere that mirrored the celebrant’s good-natured disposition.

 

In the words of one colleague: “Ukandi’s retirement is not an end, but a new chapter. He has served faithfully, and we are confident he will continue to inspire.”

 

 

 

A Legacy to Emulate

 

As he bows out of formal government service, Ukandi Emmanuel Ogar Iduku remains a symbol of service, humility, and community spirit. His life reminds many in Obudu and beyond that public service, when anchored in integrity and humanity, is still worthy of honour.

 

Indeed, Sunday’s thanksgiving was more than a farewell, it was a celebration of values, a reaffirmation of faith, and a joyous salute to a man whose footprints are etched across education, banking, and cooperative development in Cross River State.