The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Aniekpeno Mkpanang has been honoured by the Akwa Ibom State Government for his contributions to the development and growth of the state.
At a state banquet/awards dinner held on Saturday at Le Meridien Ibom Hotels and Golf Resort as part of activities marking the 30th anniversary celebration of the state, Mr Mkpanang was honoured alongside the likes of General Ibrahim Babangida, Obong (Arc) Victor Attah, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Tunde Ogbeha amongst others.
Mr Aniekpeno Mkpanang who is the initiator and master planner of the yearly AKSG Christmas Carols Festival was honoured for his innovation and creativity.
The award was presented to him by ex-governor Godswill Akpabio whom he served as Director of Protocol for 8 years and assisted by Governor Udom Emmanuel.
Speaking at the event, The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo described the award as being very important because merit and hard work were being recognized while men and women who laid the foundation for the greatness of the state were celebrated.
He told Governor Udom Emmanuel that by expressing gratitude of Akwa Ibom people to those who served them in the years gone by, he had satisfied an important spiritual principle which says that those who say thank you reap the reward of greater gifts in the future.
In the words of the Vice President, “by so doing, you have demonstrated deep humility in realization that no man can build alone and that no man’s wisdom is sufficient for all generations”.
He congratulated Mkpanang and other honourees for what he referred to as well deserved honours conferred on them by Akwa Ibom State and thanked God for those in attendance and for the blessed memories of those who departed.
Earlier, The State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel had recalled with joy the landmark achievements of past leaders in the state and submitted that Akwa Ibom was always blessed with good leadership beginning from Senator Tunde Ogbeha.
“Let me say here that Akwa Ibom is blessed and we have always been blessed in the past 30 years with good leadership”.
The Governor described Akwa Ibom as God’s own state with people of vitality, zeal, patriotism and undiluted vision and paid tribute to General Ibrahim Babangida for the creation of the state after 6 decades of struggle.
Obong Victor Attah, a former Governor of the state who spoke on behalf of Mr. Mkpanang and other honourees described the initiative by Governor Emmanuel as phenomenal.
The former Governor stated that by honouring the past and recognizing sacrifice and contributions, Governor Emmanuel had shown that there is a future for Akwa Ibom State.
Obong Attah also had this to say about EARCOM and DAKAADA, “For those of you who don’t know what EARCOM is, it is Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission. That is a commission that I had set when I was Governor of this state and I thank God that it is still going and your Dakaada has come and lifted it to the next level”.
The well attended event featured cutting of anniversary cake, Toast to Akwa Ibom at 30, choral renditions, good will messages, dinner, performance by the young professionals and cultural display courtesy of Ekemini theatre troupe among others.
A look at the rich profile of Mkpanang shows that he has been an artist, broadcaster, teacher, compere, public servant, toastmaster and event manager.
Born February 26, 1961, the initiator and erstwhile presenter of the longest running radio programme in Nigeria (Something to the Remember) has also served as State MC at Government House, Uyo, moderating all top functions of Government including the inauguration of the Executive Governor, the double state visits of former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the visit of the then Ghanaian President, Jerry Rawlings and that of then Vice President, Atiku Abubukar.
In the year 2000, when President Olusegun Obasanjo, the then President of Nigeria visited the state and the Ukanafun-born Mkpanang was MC as usual, the highly impressed President directed that Mr Mkpanang be moved to the presidency with immediate effect to work with him.
At Abuja, Mr. Mkpanang started off as the Assistant Director, Public Relations in the Office of the SGF and was later named in June 2003 as Special Assistant to the President and official Master-of-Ceremony at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
Apart from organizing the annual Christmas Carols Festival, he has organized other topnotch events for the state including organizing the world-class official opening ceremony of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium and was head of the team of visionary Akwa Ibom youths that assembled 25,272 choristers across the state to win the Guinness World Record and become the Largest Group of Carol Singers in the World.
Happily married to Ama with a son, Idiongomfon, Mr. Mkpanang was appointed Permanent Secretary, Protocol on April 2, 2014 and served in the Government House, Directorate of Protocol until his posting as Permanent Secretary, Special Services Department of Government House.
