Dr Asikpo Essien-Ibok is a prominent Nigerian political economist, researcher, strategist, and public intellectual from Akwa Ibom State. He is widely recognized for his decades of contribution to academia, political strategy, journalism, and public policy advocacy.
Profile Overview
- Full Name: Asikpo J. Essien-Ibok.
- Date of Birth: 21 August 1946.
- Place of Birth / Hometown: Ikot Ibok, Etinan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
- Profession: Political Economist, Academic, Author, and Agriculturalist.
- Spouse: Mandu Essien-Ibok, a Professor of Fisheries and Aquatic Environmental Management at the University of Uyo (UNIUYO).
Academic and Professional Background
Dr Essien-Ibok received extensive academic training in the United States, graduating with his B.Sc., M.Sc., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he also worked as an instructor in the mid-1970s.
Upon returning to Nigeria, his career spanned multiple critical sectors:
- Academia: He taught development and governance as a lecturer at institutions like Bayero University, Kano (BUK), the University of Port Harcourt (UniPort), and the University of Lagos (Unilag).
- Political Strategy: Between 1981 and 1983, he served as the Director of Research and Adviser on Political Affairs to the late radical progressive Governor Abubakar Rimi of Kano State.
- Journalism: From 1983 to 1985, he served as the Director and Chairman of the Editorial Board for Punch Nigeria Limited.
- Agriculture: He actively transitioned knowledge into productivity as the Managing Director of Vika Farms Limited in Uyo.
Authorship and Public Policy Advocacy
As a public intellectual, Dr Essien-Ibok frequently serves as a keynote speaker and guest analyst at national discourse events. He remains a vocal critic of systemic corruption and weak governance in Nigeria.
He has authored several influential books and papers examining Nigeria’s political economy, including:
- Political Repression and Assassination: A Tribute to the Late Dr. Bala Muhammad (1983)
- Three Faces of Silent Revolution in Kano State (1983)
- Towards a Progressive Nigeria (1983)
- Corruption and National Development in Nigeria, a comprehensive analysis highly acclaimed by civil rights groups for outlining concrete frameworks to reform the 1999 Constitution and combat corporate and institutional sleaze