Linus Obogo

In a howling attestation to excellence, integrity and boundless service, the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Cross River State, Hon. Emmanuel Bassey Ironbar, was recently decorated with the prestigious Honorary Doctorate in Public Policy and Administration (D.P.A Honoris Causa) by the globally revered Crown University, Delaware, USA. The conferment, embellished with a Five-Star Certificate of Achievement, is no ordinary accolade—it is a coronation of a life nobly lived, a career fiercely dedicated to public good, and a spirit unyielding and unmatched in its fidelity to purpose.

Like a fine tapestry woven in gold and discipline, Hon. Ironbar’s odyssey from the boisterous clan of Ekpo Edem in Calabar South to the hallowed halls of international recognition evokes the cadence of greatness. A man forged in the crucible of adversity, refined by knowledge, and crowned by relentless service, he has become an emblem of what it means to lead not just by words, but by sacrificial, self-effacing action. It is no exaggeration to say that his entire life has been a thesis in public policy—rich in content, noble in intent, and legendary in impact.

From the corridors of the Army Day Secondary School, Calabar—where he served as Senior Prefect with poise beyond his years—to the proud gates of the University of Calabar where he earned his degree in Sociology, Hon. Ironbar’s trajectory bore the unmistakable imprimatur of destiny. Never one to rest on his laurels, he furthered his intellectual armory with a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration, aligning both passion and profession towards state-building. That intellectual rigour has since become the keel upon which his excellence finds anchorage.

His ascendancy through the echelons of public service reads like a chronicle of divine orchestration. From Special Assistant to the Executive Chairman of Calabar South to Special Adviser on Homeland Security, from his strategic leadership at the Niger Delta Development Commission to his commanding presence on the campaign frontlines during the ‘Prince is Coming’ movement, Hon. Ironbar has not only served—he has transformed, inspired and elevated every platform upon which he stood. His stewardship is a prism through which good governance gleams.

As Chief of Staff to Governor Bassey Edet Otu, Ironbar has become the unseen hand behind the seamless orchestration of the ‘People First’ agenda. Tireless in execution and tenacious in duty, he exudes the temperament of a seasoned statesman and the vigour of a consummate administrator. His loyalty to the governor is not transactional—it is total. His dedication to duty is not perfunctory—it is a sacred covenant. He does not merely administer the governor’s vision; he animates it with quiet strength and indomitable will.

The conferral of the honorary doctorate is therefore not just recognition—it is recompense. It is the world pausing to salute a son of Africa who has made service an altar and diligence a creed. The Crown University’s decision to honour him mirrors a wider global sentiment: that in Ironbar, we find the confluence of intellectual virtue and public devotion. Indeed, as the institution lauded him, it described him as “a torchbearer of administrative integrity and visionary leadership in the public sphere”.

But even before this international acclaim, the footprints of his legacy had been etched on the sands of time. In 2025 alone, Ironbar was decorated with the National Leadership Award as Nigeria’s Best Chief of Staff and named Safety Ambassador by the Nigerian Society of Engineers. These honours speak of a man whose impact resonates across disciplines—from politics to security, from policy to infrastructure. Each title is a garland, a testament to a life whose light refuses to dim.

An orator in wisdom, a sentinel of discipline and a magnet of grassroots affection, Ironbar remains a bridge between government and the governed. His storied popularity across the 18 local government areas of Cross River State is proof that the heart of a leader must beat in tandem with the pulse of the people. Crowned ‘Wutoro Oboro I’ of the Egbe Clan in Ogoja, his chieftaincy is not just traditional—it is a poetic acknowledgment of a man who walks among kings but never loses the common touch.

Today, as drums of celebration echo across the creeks of Calabar and accolades thunder from the  hamlets of Mbube to the seas of Bakassi, Cross River State stands proud, for one of her finest sons has risen to the zenith of global recognition. Hon. Emmanuel Bassey Ironbar’s name now shimmers among the stars of public policy worldwide. And in his story, we are reminded that greatness is not wished—it is earned through vision, virtue, and valour.

* Obogo is the Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Cross State Governor

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