LATE ETEBOM (BARR.) CLEMENT MARK IDEMUDO, AMB.P (1937 – 2021) died Monday 21st June, 2021
BIOGRAPHY
Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo ascended the Village Headship of Essien Etuk in 1999. He was subsequently issued with a Certificate of Recognition in 2001. He became the Secretary, Ukpum Ete Clan Council of Chiefs in October, 2001 and became Chairman, Ukpum Ete Clan Council of Chiefs and acting Clan Head following the demise of his predecessor, HRH S. U. Ekpo.
He was confirmed as the Clan Head, Ukpum Ete Clan by the Akwa Ibom State Government in June, 2013. His reign was characterized by peace and progress in the area.
BIRTH AND PARENTAGE
Late Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo was born on the 7th day of July, 1937 to the family of late Chief Mark Idemudo of Otung Udonnah in Essien Etuk Village, Ukpum Ete Clan and Jenny Akpan Unwa Idiong of Otung Udoaka of Owok Essen No. 1, Essene Village, Ikpa Nung Assang Clan, both in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area.
The circumstance of the birth of little Clement Mark Idemudo was fortuitous. He was a still birth and was to be thrown away. The story is that this first child of the family was miraculously saved on account of the dream one Susana Unwaunwa had. In that dream this lady, an aunt to the little baby was given the name “Ikot Obong Ikot Akpan Udo”. As soon as that name was uttered, the baby was jostled to life for the first time. From that day, the little baby lived to become who he became to the glory of God.
EARLY LIFE/ACADEMIC PURSUITS
Late Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo was not born with a silver spoon at his disposal. His life was one of struggle. Struggle that was constantly overshadowed by the determination not to be left behind in the race of life. At an early age he eked a living from fishing like his contemporaries at that time.
For his primary school education, Etebom attended Methodist Central School, Ete from 1942 to 1950. It was his brilliance that in part made it possible for him to complete primary school. The then Headmaster of the school could not imagine little Clement Idemudo not taking the benefit of Western education. This led Mr. Fumbo, a native of Bonny Island to take it upon himself to make the necessary financial commitment that was to assure his sitting the examination for admission into the Methodist College, Uzuakoli. Of course little Clement Idemudo did not disappoint. He passed the examination with flying colours.
That Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo completed his secondary school education at the said Methodist College in five years, instead of six years as it was customary then, attests to his brilliance. It is historic that he was in the first set of students that sat for the West African School Certificate Examination at Methodist College, Uzokoli.
The next academic port of call for Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo was the Hope Waddell Institute, Calabar. He was admitted to read the sciences at Higher School. This was no mean feat at that time since only two institutions, the Hope Waddell and St. Patrick’s College, Ikot Ansa, Calabar, ran the Higher School Certificate programme then.
The pursuit of the Higher School Certificate in the science in 1956, however ran into stormy financial weather, culminating in the withdrawal of the ambitious Clement Mark Idemudo from the programme.
The set back at Hope Waddell Institute, Calabar led the forward-looking Clement to take up teaching appointment at the Regina Coeli College, Essene. There, he taught science subjects for a brief period.
Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo was to leave Regina Coeli College for Shell B P Company Limited, Port Harcourt. He also did not last there. When Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo heard that his school mate, Eno Udo had gotten admission into University of Ibadan, he left to prepare himself for admission into University. That his classmate who galvanized him, is the selfsame, late Professor Eno Udo.
Propelled by Eno Udo’s admission into the University of Ibadan, Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo hibernated to prepare for the GCE Advance Level in the sciences. He later sat and passed the examination on the strength of which he secured admission to read for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He successfully completed the programme and was awarded B.Sc (Hons) Degree in Chemistry in 1965.
Still not satisfied, Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo pushed further and was admitted to read Medicine at University of Ibadan. The dream of becoming a medical doctor was unfortunately short circuited by poor finances. He withdrew from that programme after one year.
In 1983, after exiting the teaching service as a school principal, Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo secured admission to read law at the University of Calabar. He completed the programme earning the LLB (Hons) degree. Upon the completion of the one-year training at the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos, he became enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The call to Bar meant a lot for Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo, particularly following the political setback he suffered in 1983 when his attempt to take a seat in the House of Representatives suffered a setback at the pools. With his call to the Nigerian Bar and the consequent qualification to practice as a lawyer, he said “… since you denied me the opportunity to be a lawmaker, in the National Assembly, I shall practice law for the benefit of my people”.
Looking back in retrospect, it is a fact that inadequate finance put paid to Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo stay at both the Hope Waddell Institute, Calabar where he had gone for higher school and the University of Ibadan where he spent one year in attempt to become a medical doctor. On the whole, one cannot deny the fact that Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo was not one who allowed his humble circumstance to hinder his educational advancement and above all, God was always with him.
WORKING LIFE
Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo traversed many areas of endeavour in his life time. He was a teacher, a businessman, a politician and a legal practitioner.
Etebom’s teaching career started when he made a detour from Hope Waddell Institute, Calabar where he had gone to do Higher School Certificate. That detour led him to taking up teaching appointment at Regina Coeli College, Essene. From there, restless and ambitious young Clement Mark Idemudo joined the Shell B P Company Limited, Port Harcourt as an Accounts Clerk. It is important to note that the relative reasonable pay at Shell B P Company Limited, did not eclipse his desire for University education. In fact it was from there that Etebom left to read for a B.Sc (Hons) degree in Chemistry at University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1961.
Immediately upon being awarded the B.Sc (Hons) degree in Chemistry in 1965, Etebom took up his first teaching appointment as a graduate at the Igwebuke Secondary Commercial School, Awka in 1965. He left on 19th October, 1966 following his admission to study Medicine at the University of Ibadan. After one year as a medical student, paucity of funds put paid to his ambition to become a medical doctor. The situation was further compounded by the pervading political uncertainty that gripped the country at the time. It will be recalled that it was shortly afterwards that the civil war broke out.
Like most young men at the time, Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo following his return to Ete in 1966 from Ibadan was trapped in the then Biafra with nothing to do and an uncertain future.
Following the ‘liberation’ of Calabar, young Clement Mark Idemudo with three other young men ‘slipped’ away from Ete to Calabar. At Calabar, he took up employment as a Science Teacher at the Duke Town Secondary School. It was there that the entrepreneurial instinct of Etebom first manifested. He commenced the production of soap on a commercial scale for domestic use. The product was well received and the proceeds from that stream of income overtook that from paid employment as a teacher.
After the cessation of hostilities between Nigeria and Biafra in 1970, Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo relocated back to Ete from Calabar. He was immediately absorbed into the teaching staff of Methodist Secondary School, Ete. There, he had the responsibility of developing the science department for the purpose of the teaching of science subjects separately for the first time. Etebom’s stay in that school lasted from 1970 – May 1976.
In May, 1976, Etebom was transferred from Methodist Secondary School, Ete to the Community Comprehensive Secondary School, Ibesit, in the now Oruk Anam Local Government Area. His teaching career came to an end in 1977 when he resigned to pursue other interests. It is worth noting that in his lifetime he established the C M Bakery and Idemudo Estate. The first and foremost privately developed Estate in Ikot Abasi. These were pioneer business initiatives in the Local Government Area.
Consequent upon his call to the Nigerian Bar, Etebom commenced legal practice, appearing in courts across the country. He took up challenging briefs defending the underprivileged and members of his community. The law firm C. M. Idemudo & Co. (Essien Ubong Chambers), became the first port of call for many in the Ikot Abasi Local Government Area who sought to protect their fundamental rights. Etebom, was in active private practice up till 2013 when he became officially certified as the Clan Head of Ukpum Ete. Since legal practitioners don’t retire, he continued with only advisory and consultancy services.
POLITICAL LIFE
Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo’s educational attainment and love for development made it inevitable for him to play a notable role in the politics of his area. In 1978, he represented Ukpum Ete ward in the Local Government Council. In 1982, Etebom was the flag bearer of the Unity Party of Nigeria in the election into the House of Representatives.
Despite losing that election, Etebom was not bitter. He charted a new course for his life. This was to terminate at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos where he was called to Bar in 1987. In later years, Etebom (Barr.) Clement Idemudo became the Chairman of Social Democratic Party, Ikot Abasi Chapter. This was one of the two political parties mediated by the Babangida’s regime. Following the events of June 12, 1993, he took leave from active politics and concentrated on his legal practice.
CHRISTIAN LIFE
Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo was born into the Methodist Church. This was the Church his family attended. In later years, Etebom became a member of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. He was in that fold for more than 40 years. In 2018, Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo on his own volition returned to the Methodist Church of Nigeria and remained there till he breath his last.
ROYALTY
Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo ascended the Village Headship stool of Essien Etuk in 1999. He was subsequently issued with a Certificate of Recognition in 2001. He became the Secretary, Ukpum Ete Clan Council of Chiefs in October, 2001. From there, he became the Chairman, Ukpum Ete Clan Council of Chiefs and acting Clan Head following the demise of his predecessor, HRH S. U. Ekpo.
In June, 2013, he became officially recognized as the Clan Head, Ukpum Ete Clan by the Akwa Ibom State Government. All can testify to the fact that his reign was characterized by peace and progress in the area.
FAMILY LIFE
Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo officially got married to four (4) wives; late Mrs. Patience Akpan, Mrs. Mercy Udoma, late (Deaconess) Etop Clement Idemudo and Mrs. Evelyn Clement Idemudo.
However, due to natural and other inscrutable reasons, he was left with only a wife at the time of his exit. He was blessed with eighteen (18) children alive, males and females.
TRANSITION
Late Etebom (Barr.) Clement Mark Idemudo fell sick and was taken to the hospital where he passed on to be with His Creator on Monday 21st June, 2021.
Do all the good you can.
By all the means you can.
In all the ways you can.
In all the places you can.
At all the times you can.
To all the people you can.
As long as ever you can.
JOHN WESLEY
He is Survived by:
Mrs. Evelyn C. Idemudo – Wife
BM Eno C. Idemudo – Daughter
Lady Irene Matthew Udoh – Daughter
Deaconess Idorenyin Sunday Akrasi – Daughter
Mrs. Margaret Daniel Otu – Daughter
Prince Sunday C. Idemudo – Son
Pastor Martha – Daughter
Mr. Emem C. Idemudo – Son
Elder (Engr.) Ekom C. Idemudo – Son
Engr. Ubong Idemudo – Son
Imaobong C. Idemudo – Daughter
Mrs. Edidiong Archibong Akpan – Daughter
Mfon C. Idemudo – Daughter
Mrs. Nse Contes Sacha – Daughter
Pharm. Usoro C. Idemudo – Son
Mr. Ime C. Idemudo – Son
Barr. Ifiok C. Idemudo – Son
Mrs. Aniekan Uyioata Joseph – Daughter
M Clement Clement Idemudo – Son
Also, brothers, sisters, in-laws, cousins, nieces, grand children, great grandchild, a host of other relatives too numerous to mention. May the soul of our Royal Patriarch rest in the bosom of Abraham – Amen.