Former Delta State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan demanded round-the-clock commitment from his appointees sometimes calling them at 2 am or 3 am to attend to official duties a former commissioner Barrister Misan Ukubeyinje has recalled.
Ukubeyinje who served as Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources and later as Commissioner for Lands Surveys and Urban Development under Uduaghan said the late governor left no room for complacency among those entrusted with public responsibilities.
‘He told me that the job was 24 hours. He could call you at any time even at 2 am or 3 am or at times when you least expected it’ he said.
The former commissioner said he sometimes had to cancel visa appointments and shelve personal engagements to respond to the governor’s calls describing these sacrifices as part of the demands of serving under Uduaghan.
According to him the experience taught him that public service required discipline preparedness and an unwavering commitment to duty regardless of personal convenience.
Ukubeyinje who hails from Abigborodo Uduaghan’s home community and currently chairs its management committee said his relationship with the former governor extended beyond their time in government.
He described the deceased as ‘a complete gentleman and God-fearing man’ recalling his personal qualities alongside his demanding work ethic.
Uduaghan governed Delta State from 2007 to 2015. His death has continued to attract tributes from political leaders associates and others who served with him.
Praying for the repose of his soul Ukubeyinje said: ‘May his gentle soul rest eternally in Elysium.’