When I arrived at the Department of History and International Studies, University of Calabar as a young undergraduate, Dr. Sandy Onor – as he was then known – was not physically present. Yet his name filled the air. He had left to serve as Executive Chairman of Etung Local Government Area, but in the classrooms and corridors, he remained a standard. Lecturers invoked him as a model of brilliance, discipline, integrity, and academic distinction. Even in absence, he reigned supreme.
Years later (in 2012 to be precise), destiny granted me the rare privilege of meeting him in person. He was then Commissioner for Environment in Cross River State; I was Lecturer II in the University of Calabar. Through his late bosom friend, Dr. James Ewah, he invited me to see him. That meeting changed my life.
He told me he had heard of my discipline, dedication, and scholarly commitment – and that he wanted us to collaborate in research. These were the very virtues for which he himself was known. I accepted the offer without hesitation. When I informed my revered mentor, Ambassador Prof. Okon Edet Uya, he welcomed the idea but expressed a fatherly concern: that Sandy Onor might eventually draw me into politics. His fear was that those meant to preserve academic excellence often depart, while those who should leave remain.
What followed was not a loss to scholarship, but an expansion of purpose. Our collaboration enriched my intellectual life and strengthened my professional journey in ways too numerous to recount. It made resources available for me to conduct research and publish in ways that would have been difficult otherwise.
Then came 2019. Against formidable odds, Sandy Onor was elected Senator. In a move that reflected rare courage and clarity, he appointed me his Senior Legislative Aide – the highest position among his aides – despite our being from different senatorial districts. In a political climate where geography and ethnicity often dictate opportunity, he chose conviction over convenience. That decision alone speaks volumes about his character. By God’s grace, we left meaningful footprints in the Senate.
To me, my encounter with Senator Professor Sandy Onor is divine benevolence. God brought him into my life as a pillar – one man doing for me what many may not receive from a multitude in a lifetime. His generosity is instinctive, not calculated. He sees nothing as too great to do where friendship, loyalty and merit are concerned. He has opened to me the vastness of his heart and resources, ensuring that I never lack the means to pursue any noble cause. He embraces my family as his own, relating with my wife and children with warmth and dignity.
Yet beyond personal benevolence stands something even more compelling: his seamless fusion of scholarship and statesmanship. He is proof that intellect need not be abandoned in public office, and that politics, when guided by ideas, can be noble. He bridges the academy and politics, thought and action, reflection and reform.
At 60, Senator Professor Sandy Ojang Onor is not merely older – he is deeper, stronger, and more luminous. Sixty years of learning. Sixty years of service. Sixty years of lifting others. Sixty years of courage.
Today in Abuja, we do not merely mark time; we celebrate impact. We raise our glasses in sixty resounding cheers – to a scholar of distinction, a statesman of conviction, a mentor of rare generosity, and a friend of steadfast loyalty.
May the God who ordered our paths to cross grant him many more fruitful decades. May his wisdom expand, his strength be renewed, and his influence multiply. May the years ahead surpass the years behind in grace and accomplishment.
Happy 60th Birthday, Distinguished Senator Professor Sandy Ojang Onor.
The name that once reigned supreme in absence now shines even brighter in presence – and in the grateful hearts of those whose lives he has transformed.