Ndoma-Egba: A pragmatic leader, silent philanthropist

By Bernard Joseph

Former Senate Leader, Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), is a highly respected figure and great force to reckon with, in the political firmament of Cross River State where he hails from and Nigeria in general. The legal luminary is one Nigerian that has contributed in no small measure to the growth and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.

Ndoma-Egba, a perfect gentleman and consummate politician, has invariably demonstrated a pragmatic approach to leadership. In all of the positions of authority he has been privileged to occupy, he left an indelible mark of excellence and outstanding record of performance, right from his days as a Commissioner in the old Cross River State at the young age of 26.

A quintessential leader of high rectitude, unquestionable character and strong moral principles, the ex-parliamentarian of note has no single vestige of scandal of any kind around him for the many years he has been in the public glare. He was never found wanting or involved in any act of corruption and financial malfeasance in all the offices he has held.

In his demonstration of pragmatic leadership, Ndoma-Egba, an unassuming, easy-going, open-minded and open-handed man, is seen to have always built relationships with people while influencing them towards positive outcomes. In the words of Robin Sharma, a Canadian author, barrister and leadership specialist, “Leadership is not about title or designation. It’s about impact, influence and inspiration.” For Sheryl Sandberg, a notable technology guru, “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”

The great and famous American-African singer, Marian Anderson, once said: “Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.” Ndoma-Egba, a true leader, is indeed a dealer in hope who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way to his followers.

Over the years, the exceptionally brilliant and talented lawyer has built a good name for himself, and made valuable and meaningful contributions to the cause of humanity and societal advancement. He has engaged in manifold charity works and philanthropic activities without making noise about them. A patriotic and detribalized Nigerian, the erstwhile Senate Leader has invested heavily in human capacity development. He believes that if you develop human capacity, you would have successfully empowered a generation.

His scholarship scheme which he started in 1980 at age 24 when he was appointed into a federal board under the late Shehu Shagari, with payment of school fees for students, became full-fledged and formally instituted in 2003. Today, the scheme has offered scholarships to over 700 students both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Over 18,000 Nigerians have benefited from his free computer training programme which is still ongoing.

Ndoma-Egba, who gave quality representation to the people of Cross River Central Senatorial District in the Red Chamber for 12 years, sponsored 220 persons for the Central Bank Enterprise Scheme with each getting N250, 000 as start-up capital. He donated over 250 laptops to students, distributed farm inputs and implements to over 250 farmers, gave out over 200 cars to his constituents as part of his empowerment programme and secured over 530 jobs in the Federal service for his people.

It was he who facilitated the construction of the Specialist Hospital and National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Ikom, Cross River State. He also facilitated the building of the gigantic Faculty of Law Complex, University of Calabar, named after him and commissioned two months ago in an elaborate ceremony by the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari, ably represented by then Minister of State for Education, Mr. Jonathan Opiah.

A Life Bencher, who is the first Senior Advocate of Nigeria from the National Assembly and so far the only from the Senate, Ndoma-Egba, via legislative push and advocacy, attracted 92 people-oriented projects said to be worth over N7 billion to his senatorial district as a Cross River Central Senator. He was rated as one of the best senators in his time with several motions and about 40 bills to his credit. The Freedom of Information (FoI) Bill was one of his many bills that became an Act of the National Assembly.

The large-hearted and compassionate politician filled with the milk of human kindness has sent a number of persons abroad for medical treatment, just as he has sponsored many Nigerians both Christians and Muslims on pilgrimage. He initiated a subsidized transport scheme in Cross River to assist his people to pay less for transportation and reduce their suffering.

A devout Catholic and Papal Knight of Saint Sylvester conferred on him in recognition of his enormous contributions to development of the House of God, Ndoma-Egba, who had wanted to be a Reverend Father, has always supported the training of Priests and the religious. He constantly offers assistance to rural churches especially and churches generally, regardless of the denomination. He along with his late wife, Amaka, built a massive Catholic Church with a 1000 congregational seat capacity in his Akparabong community in Ikom which was commissioned by His Eminence Cardinal John Onaiyekan five years ago. The building of the beautiful edifice christened, Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, was a fulfilment of a vow the ex-legislator made to God at age 11.

Ndoma-Egba, an avid lawn tennis player and widely travelled politician with a huge wealth of experience in governance and administration, cutting across the three arms of government – the executive, judiciary and legislature, served as the Director of Cross River Basin Development Authority between 1981 and 1983, Commissioner for Works & Transport, Cross River State from 1984 to 1986, Acting Attorney General, Cross River State 1985 – 1986 and Director/Chief Executive Officer of DFRRI Cross River State in 1986.

Before he rose to become the Senate Leader in the 7th NASS, he had previously held sway as the Deputy Senate Leader of the 6th Senate and spokesman of the 5th Senate in the course of his eventful 12-year voyage in the highest legislative body of the country from 2003 to 2015. During the period, he also held several other positions including the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Solid Minerals and Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs.

He was the President of the first ever Africa Legislative summit held in Abuja in November 2013, a summit that brought together the Heads of Legislatures from all over Africa. In the 7th NASS, he was the leader of Nigerian delegation to the Pan African Parliament (PAP), the legislative arm of the African Union headquartered in Midrand, South Africa. He spearheaded the campaign for the election of a Nigerian and member of his delegation, late Hon. Bethel Amadi as President of PAP.

Ndoma-Egba, a former Governing Board Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), started his professional career with Kanu G. Agabi & co in 1979 after he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978. The ex-NDDC Board helmsman had carved a niche for himself in legal practice before contesting for the Senate in 2003 where he had the distinct and unique privilege of being elevated to the rank of SAN as a serving Senator.

He once served as the Chairman of the Cross River State Council of Privatization and President of the Calabar Chamber of Commerce. He was on the Board of Directors of several companies with interests in construction, industrial engineering, banking and finance and was pioneer President of the Institute of Construction Industry Arbitrators of Nigeria.

A Member of London Court of International Arbitration, International Bar Association (IBA) and Legal Practitioners Forum, Ndoma-Egba, the former lawmaker with an unmatchable legislative depth and great intellectual prowess, in the days of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), as the then Chairman of the Calabar Branch of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), was among those that championed the activities of NADECO in Cross River State. NADECO was formed in 1994 by a broad coalition of Nigerian democrats, to compel the then military administration of late Sani Abacha to step down for the late MKO Abiola, the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, for democracy to take its full course.

The astute politician joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2016, after resigning from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015, the party on whose platform he had served in the Senate. He has been one of the strongest pillars of APC in Cross River State. APC in Cross River was on shaky ground when he joined the party. There was internal strife and the party was in total disarray. Staff of the party at the state secretariat had not been paid for two years. The party was owing office rent for three years.

However, immediately Ndoma-Egba came into the fold, he displayed his sterling leadership traits and everything about Cross River APC changed for good. He quietly cleared all the debts of the party, paid the rent, refurnished the office and made sure there were no arrears anymore. He lifted Cross River APC from the position of a rejected stone and built it to a machine that successfully won guber election in a state where the PDP had been in power since 1999. He had already stabilized the Cross River APC and placed it on a strong footing before ex-Governor Ben Ayade came to join the party in 2021.

Bernard Joseph, a public affairs analyst writes from Federal Capital (FCT), Abuja