By Chukwuma Umeorah The Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Publishing Limited, Onuoha Ukeh; Founder of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; and former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, among other prominent Nigerians, have praised exemplary leadership of Chief Emmanuel Akwari Ukpabi, former Group Managing Director of Flour Mills Nigeria, describing it as a guiding template for governance and nation-building in Nigeria. The tributes were delivered at the public presentation of the biography, “Emmanuel Akwari Ukpabi: The Dual Heritage of a Corporate Czar,” in Lagos on Thursday — a work documenting the corporate titan’s journey from personal struggles to executive distinction and community service. Ukeh, who reviewed the book, described it not merely as a celebration of a man, but as a lesson manual in leadership. “The book, Emmanuel Akwari Ukpabi: The Dual Heritage of a Corporate Czar, is an excellent story on a man who served meritoriously in the corporate world and came out not dented. It is instructive, educative and a veritable lesson in management that would help leaders who want to succeed. Presented in elegant prose and excellent punctuations, it teaches germane lessons in character, personality, leadership as well as corporate governance and tactics,” he said. He emphasized that Ukpabi’s journey—from growing up in an environment where education was earlier proscribed by his father to becoming a celebrated Group Managing Director at Flour Mills Nigeria (FMN), is a story of grit and strategic vision. The Sun MD said: “Chief Emmanuel Akwari Ukpabi is a man who, when he eventually went to school, had it rough when the business of his brothers suffered a devastating blow. This is a man who had to secure a job at 12 when the going was tough for his brothers. This is a man whose university education was disrupted by the civil war and was almost caught in the crossfire as he journeyed from the East to Ibadan to resume school and also back to East when his safety and that of other Igbo were no longer guaranteed, at that time, outside Igboland.” Ukeh noted Chief Ukpabi’s courage and wisdom as a little boy, in the pursuit of things that would be beneficial to him. He recalled how Akwari’s “schooling was brought back on tract when he had the wisdom to write a letter to his uncle, Mazi Agwu Onyike, seeking support, and succeeded. It tells us how Chief Akwari as a little schoolboy had the courage to walk up to his principal and demanded to be transferred to another school – a school of his dream.” The Sun MD advised leaders to adopt Ukpabi’s corporate governance lessions as cited in the book, quoting Ukpabi as saying in one of the management lessons: “As GMD, I did not take anything I was not entitled to. I was never interested in unilaterally awarding any contracts with a percentage for myself.” Ukeh noted that under Ukpabi’s stewardship, Flour Mills boldly diversified into cement manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, and power generation. Former Cross River State Governor and Chairman of the event, Donald Duke, during his keynote address, aligned Ukpabi’s story with the demands of governance in Nigeria. He noted that Ukpabi embodies the principles of learning, earning, and giving – a philosophy Duke described as the “LEG” theory of life. “Leadership is firm and resolute, compassionate but not indulgent,” he said. “Chief Ukpabi has demonstrated that you can serve, lead, and still retain your values,” he said. Duke critiqued Nigeria’s current governance style, noting that today’s leaders often shy away from economic leadership. “Yet here was a man, Ukpabi, who turned companies around through strategic diversification,” he noted, adding that Nigeria must return to such visionary economic models. “Leadership, as demonstrated by Chief Ukpabi, is about inspiring productivity and creating opportunities,” Duke added. Prof. Jerry Gana, former Minister of Information, described the biography as a testimony to the transformative power of visionary leadership. “We are celebrating a person of excellence, a leader with integrity, honour, and one who has built a tremendous institution that will last for a long time,” he said. On his part, Dangote commended Ukpabi’s legacy, noting that his consistency and integrity in leadership are rare virtues in both the public and private sectors. The current CEO of Flour Mills Nigeria, Omoboyede Olusanya, speaking during the panel session, attributed his own success in part to Ukpabi’s legacy. “The only reason I have this job is because you (Ukpabi) did a great job,” Olusanya said. He described true leadership as “getting many wonderful people to give their best,” stressing the importance of strategic vision and ethical behaviour. “A true leader surrounds himself with people who can even exceed his achievements – and that’s what Chief Ukpabi did,” Olusanya affirmed. Arunma Oteh, a former World Bank executive and participant on the panel, identified Ukpabi as the embodiment of people-first leadership. She said: “Any leader who will succeed must be a people person. Particularly in a diverse country like Nigeria, this trait is non-negotiable.” She and other panelists emphasized the importance of corporate governance as a driver of sustainability, citing Ukpabi’s tenure as Vice Chairman of the Board of Flour Mills after his retirement, as an example of disciplined, structured leadership. Ukpabi’s love for his Item community in Abia State also formed a compelling part of the narrative. During his closing remarks, Ukpabi, who is honoured with the title “Omekozuoha Item” (One Who Does for All), announced that through his foundation, all the proceeds from the book launch will fund scholarships, educational infrastructure, and free medical services in the community. He thanked everyone present, particularly “George Coumantaros of blessed memory, the founder of FMN, family and friends, and everyone who has contributed to the success of this launch and my personal life.”