Board Unveils September Activities, Announces Celebration of Obong Bassey Albert’s Philosophical Values on September 22, 2026.

UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE — 18 September 2026:
The Board of Trustees of the Friends of Obong Bassey Albert Worldwide has held a strategic meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, with a strong call for the systematic study, documentation and preservation of the leadership philosophy, humanitarian engagements and public-life experiences associated with Obong Bassey Albert Akpan.

The meeting, which brought together members of the Board and its executive leadership, focused extensively on the organisation's programme of activities for September, the forthcoming celebration of the philosophical values of Obong Bassey Albert scheduled for 22 September 2026, and the proposed organisation of a colloquium on leadership, governance and human development.

The meeting commenced with prayers before members proceeded to deliberate on the organisation's vision, programmes, activities and the way forward.

One of the most significant moments of the meeting was the opportunity given to each Board member present to share personal experiences, observations and testimonies concerning the personality and leadership disposition of Obong Bassey Albert.

The testimonies, according to the Board, reflected a personality whose influence extends beyond political office to questions of humanity, compassion, leadership, service and the empowerment of ordinary citizens.

“OBONG BASSEY ALBERT IS A LEGEND” — FRIENDS

In a particularly strong reflection, members described Obong Bassey Albert as a legend and an uncommon personality whose life deserves serious intellectual attention.

The Board drew historical parallels between his story and the journeys of globally recognised personalities such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, particularly in relation to leadership, adversity, public service and the ability of a person's ideas and values to outlive particular political seasons.

However, the Board acknowledged one significant difference.

“Obong Bassey Albert is an enigma of a different kind because he is alive to witness people celebrate, study and seek to immortalise the values associated with his journey.”

Members said the essence of the September programme is therefore not simply to celebrate a birthday or political personality, but to create a platform for a broader conversation about the meaning of leadership and service.

FROM ADVERSITY TO LEGACY

The Board also reflected on the difficult chapter of Obong Bassey Albert's public life involving his prosecution and incarceration.

For accuracy, public records show that the former senator was convicted in 2022 in an EFCC corruption case, and in February 2026 the Supreme Court affirmed his conviction and seven-year sentence while restoring a ₦204 million restitution order.

During the meeting, however, members expressed their own interpretation of the wider significance of the episode, arguing that adversity does not necessarily erase a person's influence or the values supporters associate with his life.

Rather than focusing exclusively on the legal controversy, the Board said it was interested in the broader lessons that can emerge from a public figure's experience of adversity, including questions of resilience, reputation, service, leadership and legacy.

Members invoked the biblical story of Joseph, as well as historical experiences associated with Nelson Mandela, as examples of how periods of adversity can become significant chapters in the stories of people whose lives subsequently attract historical study.

The Board stressed that its intention is to draw lessons from history rather than to equate the legal circumstances of different personalities.

“A HELPER OF THE HELPLESS”

A recurring description during the meeting was “a helper of the helpless.”

Board members shared accounts of what they described as Obong Bassey Albert's interventions on behalf of vulnerable citizens, including widows, young people, families, religious leaders and people facing difficult circumstances.

The meeting also reflected on his relationship with the Christian community and the clergy, with members recalling instances in which pastors, ministers and widows reportedly prayed for him and expressed appreciation for his support.

The Board believes that such experiences deserve documentation because they offer another perspective on the relationship between public leadership and the ordinary citizen.

Members argued that leadership should not be measured solely by political titles or positions occupied, but also by the human relationships formed and the opportunities created for people who may otherwise remain unheard.

THE ALFRED NOBEL LESSON: WHEN HISTORY REWRITES A NAME

The Board's call for the study and preservation of Obong Bassey Albert's legacy was also placed within a wider historical context through the story of Alfred Nobel.

Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist, inventor, entrepreneur and businessman. He developed dynamite in 1867 after experimenting with nitroglycerine and went on to build substantial wealth through his inventions and businesses. Dynamite had important industrial applications, including construction and mining, but it was also used in warfare, contributing to criticism of Nobel.

A particularly important episode occurred when a French newspaper mistakenly published an obituary for Nobel while he was still alive, following the death of his brother Ludvig. The obituary portrayed him negatively in connection with his explosives business and helped confront Nobel with the question of how history might remember him.

Nobel subsequently directed most of his fortune in his will towards establishing prizes for outstanding contributions in areas including physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. The Nobel Foundation was established in 1900, and the first prizes were awarded in 1901.

The lesson the Friends of Obong Bassey Albert draw from the Nobel story is profound:

A person's name can be interpreted by one generation, but legacy is ultimately shaped by what society chooses to document, preserve, study and pass to another generation.

For the Board, the Nobel story demonstrates why societies must take the documentation of important lives seriously.

The Friends therefore believe that the life and values associated with Obong Bassey Albert should not be left exclusively to political commentary, social-media narratives or personal memories.

They want his experiences subjected to research, documentation, intellectual debate and historical preservation.

WHY SHOULD OBONG BASSEY ALBERT BE STUDIED?

The meeting produced one fundamental question:

“Why should a personality who means so much to so many people across the 31 Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State and beyond not be studied, documented, celebrated and immortalised?”

According to the Board, the question is particularly important because Obong Bassey Albert is still alive and can potentially contribute his own perspective to the documentation of his experiences.

The Board believes this presents a rare opportunity: to document a living subject while memories are still accessible, witnesses are available and historical conversations can be enriched by direct engagement.

CALL FOR A COLLOQUIUM

The Board Chairman stressed that a colloquium is a necessity, particularly if the objective is to move the conversation from ordinary celebration to intellectual engagement.

The proposed colloquium is expected to bring together scholars, political scientists, historians, religious leaders, professionals, community leaders, young people and other stakeholders to examine themes surrounding:

Leadership and service;

Excellence in governance;

Human development;

Leadership philosophy;

Compassion and public responsibility;

Faith and governance;

Empowerment of vulnerable citizens;

The place of young people in leadership;

Resilience in public life;

Documentation and preservation of contemporary history; and

The making of a sustainable legacy.

The Board Chairman noted that several activities have been lined up for September and urged members and stakeholders to remain committed to their successful execution.

MORE THAN A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

The Friends of Obong Bassey Albert Worldwide also emphasised that while celebrating the anniversary and heritage of Akwa Ibom State is significant, there is equal value in celebrating individuals whose lives have become meaningful to communities across the state.

According to the Board, Obong Bassey Albert is regarded by his admirers as a person who has touched lives across the state's 31 Local Government Areas and beyond.

The Board described him as a man associated, in the testimonies of his supporters, with excellence, compassion, service and human development.

Members also recognised the family dimension of his life, describing him as a devoted husband and a man whose personal life forms part of the broader story they seek to document.

BOARD LEADERSHIP
The Friends of Obong Bassey Albert Worldwide Board and executive leadership comprises:

1. Pastor Ephraim Obot
International Coordinator

2. Pastor Amb. Emmanuel Umoh
Secretary

3. Pastor Itoro Davisy
Head of Finance

4. Bishop Dr Paul Ubokulo
Head of Programmes

5. Mrs Ako Esetunoh
Head of Welfare

6. Joseph Etop Joseph
Head of Enterprise

7. Bishop Dr Samuel Billy
Head of Documentation, Research & Statistics

8. Esther Alexander
Head of Praise Team

9. Uwakmfon Enefiok
Event Manager

10. Dickson Monday
Web Developer/Manager

11. Pastor Dominion Eduok
Head of Protocol

12. Pst. Etim Edet Frank
Head of Community Development

13 Pastor Akanimo Lawrence (ESQ)
Legal Adviser


The Board reaffirmed its commitment to building an organisation that will not merely celebrate a personality but will promote serious conversations around leadership, governance, human development, service and legacy.

“THE MAN MAY BE ALIVE, BUT THE LEGACY MUST BE DOCUMENTED”

As preparations continue for the 22 September 2026 Celebration of the Philosophical Values of Obong Bassey Albert, the Friends of Obong Bassey Albert Worldwide say the central objective is to transform admiration into documentation and celebration into intellectual engagement.

The organisation believes that history is not preserved merely through monuments.

It is preserved through records, testimonies, research, photographs, publications, conversations and the willingness of a generation to document what it believes future generations should know.

For the Friends of Obong Bassey Albert Worldwide, September 2026 is therefore more than another month on the calendar.

It is an opportunity to begin a conversation about a man, his journey, his values, his leadership, his influence and the legacy his supporters believe deserves a permanent place in the history of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria.

Signed:

Pastor Ephraim Obot
National President
Friends of Obong Bassey Albert Worldwide

Amb. Emmanuel Umoh
Secretary
Friends of Obong Bassey Albert Worldwide

For:
Board of Trustees
Friends of Obong Bassey Albert Worldwide
Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria