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Stephen Anthony Ukpo (16 July 1947 – 6 September 2021) was Minister of Information and Culture, and then Governor of Rivers State, Nigeria, from August 1986 until July 1988 during the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida.

Military career

Ukpo was born in Okpoma, Yala, Cross River State, on 16 July 1947. Joining the army, he was appointed Company Commander (1968), Battalion Commander (1969 and 1971 – 1973), Brigade Major (1970) and Instructor, Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna (1973–1974).

He was a member of the inner circle of army officers who arranged the bloodless coup on 27 August 1985 when General Muhammadu Buhari was replaced by General Ibrahim Babangida. After the coup he was appointed a member of the AFRC.

He was appointed deputy director, Defence Intelligence Agency (1985).

On 12 September 1985, he was sworn in as Minister of Information and Culture.

He was appointed military governor of Rivers State on 26 August 1986. In this post, he inaugurated the provisional council of the Rivers State Polytechnic.

He reassigned to become principal staff officer to President Ibrahim Babangida in July 1988. In this role in April 1990 Ukpo told reporters that 10 officers and more than 150 soldiers from the lower ranks had been arrested in an attempted coup attempt against Babangida.

He was retired as a Brigadier.

Later career

His wife, Sally Ufuoma Ukpo, was a teacher and in 2006 was running a travel and tours company.

After retirement, he became a member of the board of directors of Skye Bank.

When Cross River state Governor Donald Duke put up the Metropolitan Hotel for sale, Ukpo was said to have made the highest bid of N600 million. His offer was turned down, and the hotel later sold for N200 million.

In September 2008 he presented the results of a feasibility study for a mono-rail system of transportation in Port Harcourt. Ukpo was the leader of a partnership to construct the railway.

In October 2009 the Rivers State government signed an agreement with TSI Property and Investment Holdings to undertake the project at a cost of $318 million. Ukpo said that the mono-rail would be the first of its kind in Africa.

In an interview in July 2009, Ukpo protested strongly against the recent transfer of 76 oil wells from Cross River State to Akwa Ibom State, and expressed hope that a committee set up by President Umaru Yar'Adua would find a politically reasonable solution.

He has been a vocal voice in politics right from the grass root to the federal level.

In 2021 he died from COVID-19.

References

1. ^ Kazeem Akintunde and Belinda Mbonu (12 July 2009). "In the News: Stephen Anthony Ukpo". Newswatch. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
2. ^ MAX SIOLLUN (4 August 2008). "The Babangida Years – Part 4". NigeriaExchange. Archived from the original on 13 January 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
3. "Governor Appointments, Resignations Announced" (PDF). New Nigerian. 27 August 1986. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
4. "About Us". Rivers State Polytechnic. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
5. "Nigeria Reports 4 Are Dead And 160 Held in Failed Coup". New York Times. 24 April 1990. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
6. Nowa Omoigui. "The Palace Coup of August 27, 1985 (PART 3)". Dawodu. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
7. PRECIOUS NJOKU (2 October 2006). "My dream is to become big destination seller". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on 31 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
8. "Board of Directors". Skye Bank. Archived from the original on 21 February 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
9. "HOW DONALD DUKE MISAPROPRIATED N16 BILLION". Point Blank News. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
10. "Rivers to Construct Mono-Rail". Daily Trust. 28 September 2008. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
11. Muhammad Bello (15 October 2009). "Rivers Signs Agreement on Rail". Daily Trust. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
12. Ernest Chinwo (15 July 2009). "IBB Has Solution to Oil Wells Controversy – Ukpo". ThisDay. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
13. "Why My Father Died of COVID-19 - General Ukpo's Son; Mailafia, Too". 22 September 2021.

• 1947 births
• 2021 deaths
• Nigerian military governors of Rivers State
• People from Cross River State
• Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria