The life and times of Pastor Reuben Udo Idiong

BY NSEOBONG R. UDOIDIONG

Pastor Reuben Udo Idiong Udo Akpaetor was born in March 1929 into Nto Akpaetor family of Utu Ikot Ekpo, Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. His mother was Dada Ndadesit Benson Udofia Udo Ekot of Usung Atiat, Southern Afaha of Ukanafun Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. 

The Elder’s early life was associated with problems as he did not enjoy adequate care and love of his mother who died before he was four (4) years old. His father’s death eight (8) years after his birth did not help matters either. But for his step-mother, Madam Adiaha Akpan Otu, from Ikot Uko Annang in Northern Ukanafun Clan, life would have been miserable for him as his Elder brother had also died before the death of the father. 

During the sharing of his father’s property by the family members, daddy was not given anything as property was shared to surviving wives (Ufok Ubom). His maternal Uncle Chief Benson Ukpekpe who came to witness the sharing, discovered that nothing was given to young Reuben, he was so angry at the situation that he thundered: “Reuben di sang ni inyongo,” he threatened to take him to Ikot Obio Ama where the Ukpekpe/Udofia had migrated from Usung Atiat. Uncle Ukpekpe confronted the family members ad demanded to know what would happed to his nephew. 

When young Reuben noticed that he was cheated, he cried to the top of his voice until every attention was given to him. It was at this point that late Chief Akpan Udo Idiong Udo Akpaetor (Akpan Ekpe Unwa Akpan Ukpa) pleaded with the uncle that young Reuben should be allowed to stay with him, so that when he was fully grown all the mother’s property would be given to him; but the young man did not take anybody’s advice other than that of his maternal uncle, whom he followed to Ikot Obio Ama. After few years of his sojourn at Ikot Obio Ama, Chief Ekpe went for him and brought him back to his house where he grew up under this tutelage. 

While with Chief Ekpe, he lived obediently and did virtually every work assigned to him by the Chief. He enjoyed the love of his uncle (Chief Ekpe) and in return put in all effort and ingenuity to please him. This made Chief to believe so much in him that he trusted him above every other person in his household. It was not long when jealousy set in between the young man some of his uncle’s wives, until one day when one of them, over a little quarrel, reminded him that he was not Chief’s son but a nephew. That upset him and eventually led to his return to his father’s compound which was a short distance from the Chief’s residence. 

That did not deter him from serving the Chief. By the time Chief Ekpe came back, he almost divorced the woman for daring to put division between his children and nephew, but not for the intervention of Chief Akpan Umoh Udo Akpaetor and Ekerette Udo Akpaetor. Late Elder Reuben Udo Idiong returned to his father’s house when he was fifteen (15) years old.

Daddy’s departure from Chief Ekpe’s compound led him into business at a very tender age. The readily available business in the village then was Garri Processing or Farming. He developed interest in buying of cassava tubers, processed it into garri, sold it in the morning market before leaving for school. This went on until he gathered enough money to combine the petty trading and farming which helped him sponsor himself while in Primary School. He was the second person in the village that planted improved Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) before the Nigerian civil war despite his humble beginning; he was able to distinguish himself in these areas. 

Elder Reuben was a social mixer, an epitome of peace in the society. People will always come to him for settlement even when he was not a member of the Traditional Rulers Council. He was always available in social gathering and had been participating in community development service. At a point, his love for the community manifested in the training of youths to acquire entrepreneurial skills. 

In 1944, Elder Udo Idiong enrolled at the Qua Iboe Mission Group School, Ibio Nnung Achat where he schooled briefly before proceeding to Qua Iboe Mission School, Ikot Akpan Anwa, but due to limited classes, he and some of his contemporise like Prof. Moses Akpanudo, Elder Etim Michael Udoidiong and others, had to move to Qua Iboe Mission Group School, Ikot Edong which was upgraded to Standard where he completed his High Elementary Education in 1949. 

In the course of his academic pursuit, he almost lost his life one Monday morning while returning from home to school, when he came to the river bank at Obong Utit Idim without seeing the ferry man, he tried to paddle himself across even without any experience. Unfortunately for him, the paddle fell off and the canoe floated endlessly on the river to a far distance with him inside. He was rescued at Ukanafun Edem Inyang so many nautical miles away from Obong Utit Edem and was asked to pay princely sum which the ferry men extorted from him-a fine too harsh for someone that was in need.      

He later attended the prestigious Samuel Bill Theological College, Ikot Ekang/Ikot Akpabio for three month Ministerial Training in 1951, went back to his alma-mata between 1970 to 1973 and 1985 to 1987 where he bagged a Diploma in Theology. Daddy’s interest in Education gave birth to Great Faith Comprehensive College, Utu Ikot Ekpo. 

Late Elder Reuben was converted into Christianity by Evangelist O. U. Okoro from Arochukwu (now in Abia State) who was a missionary in the village (Utu Ikot Ekpo). Young Reuben served the missionary in the vineyard. While with him, he got baptized in 1949 and was always carrying him on a bicycle to wherever Evangelist O. U. Okoro would go preaching. This relationship led him becoming a full-time preacher. 

He started wark as a Preacher in Qua Iboe Mission, Obon Ebot in 1951 – 1954, and was later posted to Ikot Odiong, Ikot Ibekwe, Ikpe Annang, Ika Annang, Itung Nnem, Ikot Okoro, Ntak Ibesit, Nkek Urua Uko, Ibio Nung Achat, Ikot Umo Ebat, Uruk Atta II, Ikot Akpa Nkuk, Ikot Uko Annang, Utu Ikot Ekpo and many other stations. He finally retired from the very station he started work with i.e Qua Iboe Church, obon Ebot on 31st August, 2004. Though sickness an challenges of old age ravaged his health and took away his robust and muscular physique, daddy’s faith in the Lord remained unalloyed until his death. He was a man of great faith. 

He got married to Esther Johnson Nkanang of Nkwot Ikot Ebo in 1960 and the marriage was blessed with 7 children: 2 males and 5 females, 21 grand children who are all alive to bid him farewell. 

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the fight; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who loved His appearing” – 2 Timothy 4:7. 

This was papa’s last words for the past one year before he slept in the lord on the 8th of December 2015 after a brief illness.