By Victor Ndoma-Egba
I remember that phone call from Gabriel Ando Ogar, better known as G.A. Ogar, then seminal Secretary to the Cross River (now Cross River and Akwa Ibom) State Government and Head of Service. In those days both offices were combined. I was then a twenty-seven-year-old Commissioner for Works and Transport. By the way, Nigeria had nineteen states then, every state by the policy of the then Military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, and his ascetic deputy, Gen. Tunde Idiagbon, had only seven civil commissioners, no Special Advisers or Special Assistants, only a Personal Assistant appointed from the public service.
When Clcommissioners complained of being overworked, they grudgingly increased the number to nine. My ministry had responsibility for Works, Transport, Housing, Surveys, Town Planning, Water, Rural Electrification, Environment and all their associated parastatals. It also housed the state Tenders Board, which processed all public procurements and was the engine room for government transparency and efficiency. It was headed by a Principal Secretary, who reported to the commissioner and through him to the state Tenders Board which was the State Executive Council chaired by the military governor. Because of military men’s inclination to achieve results with “military dispatch or immediate effect” and the professional civil servant who then believed in accountability to eternity as in ordinary parlance, “soja go, soja come, barracks remain.”
Therefore, to ensure professionalism, transparency and accountability, only the very best of the civil service were posted as Principal Secretary, State Tenders Secretariat.
On my swearing in as Commissioner in February 1984 (I was announced in January of the same year), I met John Nneke, a very lanky unassuming man. He must have been at least 6.4.” He was due to retire in April of that year. I demanded a retirement gift from him. We were to quickly review our procurement processes and propose reforms. He was able to give me the draft proposals before he retired. He was a procurement guru. Stories had it that he had spent almost his entire civil service career in procurement. Okon Eyo, a principled and stubbornly professional, who knew how to resist military impatience succeeded John. Okon did not last as his abilities were required everywhere. He was soon to become Chairman, Calabar Municipality, Permanent Secretary, Secretary to Government and Head of Service. Sam T. Anderson, principled, thorough, and urbane with Scottish blood took over. I worked longest with Sam, who became one of my closest friends long after, though much older than me.
Back to the phone call from G.A. Ogar. Sam, he said, was about to be promoted Permanent Secretary and the military governor had approved his posting to the State Liaison Office in Lagos, the then Federal Capital.
It was a very high responsibility that required Sam’s obvious capabilities and personality. He was giving me advance notice given Sam’s importance to my ministry’s programmes. Mr. Ogar added, “Trust me, you are going to get the best. You will love her. Grace is the best.”
Mrs. Grace Archibong reported shortly after. Her carriage, her personality and calmness accentuated by a permanent smile were most impressive. Her deep insight, perspective, knowledge and capacity for incredibly long hours became such an asset that it lightened my burdens. Working long hours was the norm, going for site inspections, especially the many projects in Calabar under Colonel Dan Patrick Archibong was normal. I recall a few times when His Excellency joined us at project sites unannounced. In no time Mrs. Archibong had become Ma Grace, she had become the mother of the ministry, though still in her thirties. I remember she made only one request of me, to fix Ibok Street where she lived. Thank God, I did as I ended up living on the same short street for years after leaving office.
Ma Grace was a lady in every sense. She had pedigree, a daughter of the legendary Chief Frank Inok, she was well schooled, having attended the elite Queens College, Lagos and Nigeria’s premier university, the University of Ibadan. She married the ultimate gentleman Dr. Eyo Ekpo Eyo Archibong, a medical doctor, who was ready to take the back seat to enable his wife realize her enormous potentials and a study in humility in spite of his aristocratic background. Her garden in her Ibok Street home was straight from dreamland (she did not let you pick her flowers, she rather did it for you) and the decor of her home demonstrated the ultimate beauty of simplicity.
I got to know that she started her public service from the Foreign Service and had served in London, Paris and some other missions only when she hosted her former boss, Ambassador Harriman in her exquisite Calabar home.
The Ambassador’s remarks were simply a testimonial womanhood, homemaking, to beauty and brain, style and class, passion for service, love of country, dedication to humanity, and the possibility of the girl child and womanhood. She had to transfer to the Cross River State public service due to the exigencies of marriage.
Ma Grace was to become the Chairman of Calabar Municipality and she indeed built its current headquarters, and Permanent Secretary in Cross River State before transferring to the federal public service for yet another remarkable phase of her service to her country, which she crowned as Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministries of Commerce, Information and the Ministry of Police Affairs, where she also acted as minister, office of the Head of Service, from where she retired in 2006 on the attainment of the age of 60 years to a quiet life of service to God and forming the character of children through Grace and Gold Schools, which she established in Calabar and Abuja.
Hers was a life, a remarkable life indeed. I am thankful to God that I shared a bit of that illustrious life. She insisted that I signed her Annual Performance Evaluation Report, APER, long after I left office as commissioner, and that I spoke at her retirement many years later. We shared our immediate neighbourhood in Calabar, where I became the beneficiary of constant supply of fresh flowers from her lush garden, her legendary Efik hospitality and her endowed culinary exertions.
This exemplar of womanhood, epitome of wife and mother, a woman of class and style, a lady in every style, acclaimed public servant and understated patriot finally took a bow from her earthly labours in her sleep on the 31st of January, 2025 at the age of 78. She died exactly as she lived, peacefully, and has taken her smile to heaven where angels belong.
Farewell Ma Grace. You have earned your rest in the bosom of your Maker who you faithfully served while on this mortal plane.
Rest in peace!
•Ndoma-Egba, OFR, CON, a three-term Senator and Leader of the 7th Senate, is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and had served as Commissioner for Works and Transport, (1984-1986) in the old Cross River (now Cross River and Akwa Ibom) State.
