Akan Okon: Competence personified

BY ANIEKEME FINBARR

Born on Nigeria’s Independence day, five years  after the country’s independence, he belongs to a rare class of gentlemen who have sweetly blended individual success with service and excellence. With a strong penchant for excelling in anything he does, Mr Akan Okon, the Honourable Commissioner for Finance, Akwa Ibom State at all times cuts the figure of a man who is poised, willing, ready and able to weave solutions out of every knotty circumstance. 

 

Before I return to dwell more on him, it is instructive that I state early enough that if there is a problem this country has endured in more than half a century of its existence as an independent entity, it is the disturbing view that its bereavement of honest, competent and passionate leaders is responsible for its poverty and backwardness. Obviously, we have the raw ingredients to brew to transform us into an eminently prosperous society and an enormous foreign-currency magnetizing resources, chief of which is crude oil. 

 

But in whose hands do we leave this abundant wealth? What do we do with it? Who handles it? In whose custody is it for optimum utility? Less endowed countries have struck gold through the sheer inputs of good leadership and the simple way out for us is to painstakingly identify men who have done well in their little corners and entrust upon them bigger responsibilities in their line of competence and the results will begin to trickle in.

For Mr Akan Okon, a consummate, thoroughbred and goal directed professional, the peculiarity of his purpose driven flight anchors on a privileged rendering of service, wherever it may be found and that ultimately is his stock in trade. From the moment he took over as Commissioner for Finance in May 2014, I have been impressed with work ethics. He has excellently overseen the day to day running of Ministry of Finance, the Office of the State Accountant-General, the State Internal Revenue Service and the State Budget Office. He scrupulously sees through the Financial Management and fiscal policy of the State while overseeing the day to day cash management systems of the State government. He has developed models and strategies to ensure an effective and efficient delivery of key Government programmes and strategies. As at excellent man manager, Mr Akan Okon has effectively harnessed the human resource capacity of over 1,500 staff for service delivery.

That is not all, as Chairman, Akwa Ibom State/Local Government Joint Derivation Committee, Member, Akwa Ibom State Finance and General Purpose Committee, (FGPC) and Chairman Akwa Ibom State Micro Credit Committee; he has brought his years of experience to the table which has enhanced the smooth running of the system.

It is no gain saying that the state yearns for investors and investments and who else’s presence will do the magic for us. As MD/CEO of Fantixis Investments Limited from January, 2010 to October, 2013, he simply wrought wonders in the business world. Meanwhile, Fantixis Investments Limited is a Financial Advisory firm providing fresh impetus to the economy through the launch of an aggressive Enterprise Support Services spanning Corporate, Business, Project, Financial advisory and ICT/Telecoms consulting.

At First Inland Bank Plc. from January, 2009 to December 2009, Mr Akan Okon served asArea Executive, South South and bore the responsibility for supervising all the Branches of the Bank in Akwa Ibom State Cross River State, River State and Delta State. He was also responsible for business Development and the profitability of over 50(fifty) branches in the South-South region and a little down memory lane, his achievements are enormous.

He served as  Head, Investment Banking at First Atlantic Bank Plc from October, 2002 to December 2006. At  Standard Trust Bank Limited, he served as Area Manager, Calabar and Uyo, between January to September, 2002. He was Group Head- Uyo of the same Standard Trust Bank from July, 2001 to January, 2002 and Group Head, Electronic and Retail Banking (North  Central Region) from September, 2000-July, 2001. 

Mr Akan Okon was also Head, Treasury and Financial Institution Dept. - First African Trust Bank Limited from  (November, 1995 – February, 1997) after serving as Branch Manager of its Apapa and its Victoria Island branches.
It is heart warming to note that Mr Akan Okon started his professional oddysey at the  Central Bank of Nigeria, Lagos. He was Assistant Manager, International Remittance Office (IRO) – March, 1991 – January, 1992. He was Senior Supervisor, Investment Office (Foreign Operations Dept from January, 1990 – March, 1991. He served as Senior Supervisor, Banking Office (Banking Operations Dept) from September, 1988 – January, 1990. He was also a Senior Supervisor, Loans and Advances Office (NYSC) – June, 1987 – September, 1988. 

Mr Akan Okon is so well schooled. Apart from holding a Masters degree in Business Management (MBA) in Banking and Finance from the University of Lagos, 1991 coupled with his B.SC in Business Administration (second class upper division), UNICAL, 1987, he has acquired great knowledge and education. He has attended courses at the London School of corporate Finance, London (Euromoney October 2012), Project Finance: Energy and infrastructure, Dubai (Euro money February 2012), Financing Energy projects: Oil, Gas and power, Montreal Canada (Euro money August 2011); Euro money corporate finance programme Wlaton House Dorking Uk, July 2008; International Capital Market Conference – Citibank New York – May 2007, Financial Engineering in Deal and Transaction Structuring Lagos - March 2007; Gilts Game (A Bonds Trading Course with simulation) August, 2006; Fixed Income Securities/internal process flow Training (NBS Assets Management LLC) London – May 2006; Corporate & project Finance Course – DC Gardner UK July, 2004; The role of Financial Institution in the implementation of Cabotage.

Mr Akan Okon is a core professional. A member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Fellow, Institute of Sales Management, Fellow, Chartered Institute of Leadership of Nigeria (CILN, member, Institute of Direct Marketing and member, Chattered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN)

A Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International and married with a lovely wife and amazing children, Mr Akan Okon is sympathetic, empathetic, steady, kind, assertive, proficient, efficient, competent, aggressive, experienced, intelligent, mature, humble, attentive, generous, God fearing, broken, educated, honest, trust worthy, loyal and modernized. He is well celebrated by his people and the many lives he has touched. Indeed, Mr Akan Okon is one of our sons in whom we are well pleased.