Uduaghan: ‘The Job Was 24 Hours’ — Ukubeyinje Recalls Former Delta Governor’s Unrelenting Work Ethic

By Paul Olayemi

A former Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, and later Commissioner for Lands, Surveys and Urban Development, Barrister Misan Ukubeyinje, has paid a glowing tribute to former Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, recalling his extraordinary commitment to public service and his insistence that those who worked with him must always be ready for duty.

Ukubeyinje, who served under Uduaghan during his administration as governor of Delta State, described him as a hardworking leader whose dedication to governance left a lasting impression on those who served in his cabinet.

Recalling his experience working with the former governor, Ukubeyinje said Uduaghan made it clear from the outset that public service under his administration demanded total commitment, discipline and readiness to respond to official duties at any time.

According to him, Uduaghan warned that the job of serving his administration was a 24-hour responsibility, with no regard for conventional working hours or personal convenience.

“He told me that the job was 24 hours. He could call you at any time, even at 2am or 3am, or at times when you least expected it,” Ukubeyinje recalled.

The former commissioner said the experience taught him that working with Uduaghan required a high level of preparedness, sacrifice and an understanding that the responsibilities of governance did not end when the day’s official activities were over.

Ukubeyinje disclosed that he sometimes had to cancel visa appointments and put pressing personal matters aside to attend to official assignments whenever the former governor called.

For him, such sacrifices were part of the demands of serving in an administration whose leader expected prompt responses and unwavering commitment from his appointees.

He recalled that Uduaghan’s approach left little room for complacency, as those entrusted with public responsibilities had to remain alert and prepared to discharge their duties whenever the need arose.

Beyond his experience as a cabinet member, Ukubeyinje’s tribute carries a personal dimension. He hails from Abigborodo, Uduaghan’s home community, where he currently serves as chairman of the community’s management committee, giving him a connection to the late former governor that extended beyond the corridors of government.

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His account, therefore, offers a glimpse into the work ethic of a leader he knew both as a fellow son of Abigborodo and as a governor under whose administration he served in two different ministries.

Describing the late governor’s personal qualities, Ukubeyinje said Uduaghan was a complete gentleman and a God-fearing man, adding to the fond memories he would cherish of the former governor.

Uduaghan, who governed Delta State from 2007 to 2015, occupied a significant place in the state’s political history, and his passing marks the loss of a former chief executive whose tenure shaped the experiences of many public officials and communities across the state.

For Ukubeyinje, however, one of the most enduring memories of the former governor is the demanding standard he set for those who served alongside him: a readiness to answer the call of duty, irrespective of the hour or the personal sacrifices involved.

As tributes continue to emerge following the announcement of Uduaghan’s death, Ukubeyinje’s recollections highlight a defining aspect of their working relationship — a governor who, in his experience, regarded public service as a responsibility that required commitment around the clock.

Paying his final respects to the departed former governor, Ukubeyinje prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.

“He was a complete gentleman and God-fearing. May his gentle soul rest eternally in Elysium,” he said.