In our last edition, we flagged off the column on life outside power. The idea is to ask questions… what are former top public office holders who have vacated their positions currently doing? The idea, to PERISCOPE, is to celebrate those who, outside power, are doing well, notwithstanding the current economic challenges.
Last edition, we focused on ex-Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State who has gone to the UK for an Executive MBA while at the same time
revamping his business empire.
This time around in the South-South, former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, who left office about nine years ago, has since gone into full- time business. His latest line of business which has attracted so much interest and commendation, is real-time metro transport in the whole of Lagos starting with metro cabs.
PERISCOPE gathered that ex-Governor Duke’s company known as Rope Way Nigeria Limited, has already reached an advanced stage with the Metro cab Project so much that any moment from now ‘’Lagos Metropolis will be agog with Metro cab’’. Ex-Governor Duke, who is also a lawyer and was in fact a co-founder of Onyia & Duke Partners, a Lagos-based law firm, is an astute businessman and an astute manager of resources (both human and material). In fact, Duke, who also has an MBA and is an alumnus of the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Wharton Business School has been a shrewd business man and an adept entrepreneur before venturing into politics. Those who are familiar with his forays recall his days as the importer of Uncle Bens Rice in Nigeria.
Besides, he was also a director at Volkswagen Nigeria in 1984. And much later, he was appointed Commissioner for Finance in Cross River State in 1992. Happily married to Onari, young and pragmatic Donald Duke who was born in 1961, was elected Governor of Cross River State in 1999 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and re-elected for a second term in 2003. In 2005, the Institute of Directors (IOD) honoured him as the governor with the Overall Best Governance Award. But today, ex-Governor Duke, whose wife also sits on the board of UBA talks business and that he does with deep knowledge and insight.
Those who are quite knowledgeable about ex-Governor Duke’s foray into the world of business and global enterprise maintain that Duke popularly called Donald among friends and admirers, is an adept business man and a consummate technocrat. He was instrumental to floating another chain called T-Mark, a US-based trading conglomerate in Nigeria. PERISCOPE learnt that the firm has been quietly involved in businesses in certain sectors of the economy. The former Governor also engages in consulting services in both the public and private sectors.
Said an insider: “I can assure you that Donald is a very happy man in business. He is doing very well. All life is not politics. This is a lesson that while in politics, also keep an eye on business so that when you leave power, the transition is not too difficult. The success story of Donald is a lesson and book that requires studying by those who are serving as governors, senators, etc today…’’
