By Ayo Yusuf
Elder Statesman and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, has applauded the courage of Elder Tom Paul Etuk, a Director with the National Assembly Service Commission, who surmounted great odds to become a respected senior citizen.
In a foreword to the book titled, “Boldness to Succeed: The Journey of Life, ” Chief Clark noted that Chief Etuk’s life of resilience was worthy of emulation especially by upcoming generations.
He recalled that Elder Tom Paul Etuk, the book’s author, once took to menial jobs including pushing wheelbarrows across various markets in Abuja, despite being a university graduate, all in his bid to make a living.
Writing the forward to the book, Chief Clark hailed the director, an ordained elder with the Christ Apostolic Church, for his courage and wisdom in putting his experience in a book to inspire and motivate young people in Nigeria and around the world.
He described the author as a humble, honest and hardworking young man who was able to overcome the vicissitudes of life to become who he is today.
In the book titled, “Boldness to Succeed: The Journey of Life”, Elder Tom Paul Etuk, a Director with the National Assembly Service Commission, Abuja chronicles his grass to grace story, which seeks to inspire and motivate the younger generation of Nigerians not to give up on life or take to crime in the midst of societal challenges.
Elder Etuk, who hails from Ekparakwa Clan in Oruk-Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, recalls that after he lost his father at a very tender age, his upbringing was characterised by years of hunger, tears, poverty, mockery and a sudden, temporary loss of memory while sitting for an examination.
However, in the midst of these challenges, he maintained an unwavering faith in God and engaged in several menial tasks even as a university graduate while severally applying and waiting for gainful employment.
As a university graduate, he took to wheel barrow pushing business at Idu, Karmo and Wuse markets in Abuja, among other undignified jobs to survive.
According to him, he faced many adversities which could have made him give up on life or take to crime while growing up, but decided to take some bold decisions such as escaping from an orphanage home as a young boy because he felt he would not fulfill his destiny there.
He recalled how he suffered public disgrace in search of employment when he was arrested at Eagles Square in Abuja by men of the Nigerian Army for trespassing and taken to Kuje Prison, but was released upon intervention by a Good Samaritan.
At another time, he was among those whose employment into a federal parastatal in Abuja was cancelled because there were petitions alleging misconduct in the recruitment process.
These successive spells of misfortune, according to him, followed him everywhere he went to seek for a job, yet he refused all counsels to seek help from ungodly places, preferring to hold on to God.
Elder Etuk, who obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Uyo in 1994 and a master’s degree in Business Administration (Entrepreneurship) from Nasarawa State University, Keffi, in 2016, admits in his book that providence finally smiled on him as he was divinely connected to former Deputy Senate Chief Whip and philanthropist, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien and others who played key roles in his transformation.
The public presentation of the book in Abuja is expected to be held on October 25, 2023.
