COMRADE Akpan Dan, a veteran staff of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is dead.
Comrade Akpan, as he is popularly known and called within labour circles, and variously as ‘Ete,’ ‘Nigerian Worker,’ ‘General’ or ‘Etufa’ by colleagues at the Congress, died on Saturday, October 22, 2022 after a brief illness.
He was said to have complained of fever last Friday in the office, and by Saturday morning when he went for treatment at the hospital, he could not make it.
Comrade Akpan joined the services of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the early ’80s when he was posted to the Office of Congress President, where he served until death.
His dedication to duty and dexterity to his primary job, lively spirit and eternal fraternal disposition to both staff and guests who visited Congress made Comrade Akpan one of the most popular and celebrated employees of the Congress.
National Record learnt that with the exception of Pioneer President, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu, Akpan had worked with all presidents of NLC to date (Comrades Ali Chiroma, Pascal Bafyau, Adams Oshiomhole, Abdulwahed Omar and Ayuba Wabba).
Comrade Akpan, who was a Bishop of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, is survived by three children; Samuel Dan, Enoh Emmanuel and Emem, and wife, Mrs Nse Akpan.
Since Akpan’s passing on Saturday, it has been expressions of shock and eulogies by comrades who encountered and worked closely with him at one point or the other.
For Comrade Baba Aye, Akpan’s death “is very saddening. Eté had a good heart & unshaken commitment to the movement. My heartfelt condolences to his family and Congress. Please keep us posted on events that are organized to honour him on this last journey. Rest in Power, Akpan!”
Upon hearing the sad news of his death, human rights lawyer, Comrade Femi Aborisade, himself a former staff of Congress, said: “Oh God! What happened? I met him on 7th of October. He was full of life. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.”
Comrade Denja Yaqub, a staff of Congress said of Akpan: “Since I knew him, even before I became a staff of NLC, I never had Akpan got sick. Jovial, humble and very respectful not minding he’s older. May his soul rest well in eternal peace.”
National Record gathered that a condolence register is yet to be opened for colleagues and comrades to express their condolences and eulogies to a comrade who, while alive, was a permanent and ever-present feature at Labour House and a symbol of humility and fraternity that bond the working class.
It was gathered that this may be because of the fact that all principal staff of Congress are in Kebbi State for the organ meetings of Congress which ended on Monday, October 24, 2022.
Akpan will be laid to rest in Ikot Ekiduk Clan, Abak local government area of Akwa Ibom State on Friday, November 4, 2022.
