By
Princewill Oviesan Deduke
The final journey of renowned engineer and former member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Samuel Effiong Akpanamasi, was marked by an impressive gathering of family members, professional colleagues, traditional rulers, political figures and friends who came together to celebrate a life of service, integrity and lasting impact.
Akpanamasi, who died at the age of 81, was remembered not only for his professional accomplishments as an engineer but also for the values he brought to his family, church and community throughout his lifetime.
Among those present at the burial ceremony was Mrs. Dora Amahian, immediate past Deputy Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, alongside several distinguished Nigerians who paid their respects to the deceased.
Former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Moses Ekpo, described Akpanamasi as a great man whose contribution to community development and professional practice would remain a reference point.
Ekpo recalled that the deceased was his contemporary in college, stressing that the large gathering at his burial was evidence of the number of lives he touched during his lifetime.
“He was an enigma,” Ekpo asserted, while noting that Akpanamasi served his generation and community with dedication and brought his engineering experience to bear on societal development.
Adm Dr Stanley Ojuolape FCIA who was also the former chairman of the college of fellows, while consoling his amiable wife, Bar Mrs Ifiok Ojuolape fcia and the entire family, described the deceased as a man whose exemplary life provided important lessons for the younger generation. He urged young Nigerians to emulate the values and legacy Akpanamasi left behind.
According to him, the late engineer’s life demonstrated the importance of responsibility, service, family values and commitment to society.
“Nigeria would be a better society if our younger generation can emulate the legacies left behind by the deceased,” Ojuolape said.
The College of Fellows of the Chartered Institute of Administration was represented by a delegation led by former CIA President Dr. Festus Osoba, further underscoring the professional respect Akpanamasi commanded beyond his immediate community.
Other notable personalities at the ceremony included Prince Kazeeem Eletu, Oba Yisa Oyedele, the Orimedu of Orimeduland, Lekki, Lagos; and other members of the professional, traditional and social communities. Also present was Hon yaya Dosunmu, APC stalwart and former Lagos Island Chairman in 80s,
The gathering ultimately became more than a funeral. It was a celebration of an 81-year journey, with mourners reflecting on the relationships, professional service and community contributions that defined Akpanamasi’s years on earth.
For the family, the tributes offered some measure of comfort as they mourned a patriarch whose influence extended from his home to the wider professional and community circles he served.
His passing may have closed a chapter, but the testimonies at his burial showed that the values and memories associated with Engr. Samuel Effiong Akpanamasi remain firmly embedded in the lives of those he left behind.
