Senator Eme Ufot Ekaette, MFR, belongs to that distinguished generation of Akwa Ibom women whose professional excellence, courage, leadership and commitment to public service have earned them a place in the history of both the State and Nigeria.
Pharmacist, businesswoman, professional leader and politician, Senator Ekaette distinguished herself first in the pharmaceutical profession, where she broke an important gender barrier as the first woman to serve as President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN). She later carried the same spirit of leadership into business and national politics, culminating in her election as Senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in the National Assembly from 2007 to 2011.
Born on July 21, 1945, as Eme Ekwo, Senator Ekaette is from Nduo Eduo in Eket, in present-day Eket Local Government. She married Obong Ufot Joseph Ekaette in 1971 and became part of a family that would subsequently occupy an important place in Nigeria’s public life.
She began her early education at Banham Memorial School, Port Harcourt, where she studied from 1952 to 1958. She subsequently attended Queen’s College, Lagos, between 1958 and 1963, before proceeding to Queen’s School, Enugu, from 1964 to 1966 for her Higher School Certificate.
In 1967, she entered the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, where she studied Pharmacy and graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) degree. Her university education prepared her for a professional career in a field that was, at the time, still largely dominated by men.
Following her graduation, she began her professional career as Pharmacist-in-Charge of the Federal Manufacturing Laboratory, where she served from 1970 to 1972. She subsequently moved to the Senior Officers Armed Forces Hospital in Lagos, where she served as Pharmacist-in-Charge from 1972 to 1980.
In 1980, she joined the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), where she built a significant career in pharmaceutical administration and management. She remained with the corporation until 1996, rising to a managerial position in pharmacy and becoming associated with the development and administration of pharmaceutical services within one of Nigeria’s most important national institutions.
Her professional commitment also found expression in the activities of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria. She was involved in professional organisations and served on important committees, including the Committee on Review of Pharmacy Career in 1989 and the Conference Planning Committee of the National Workshop of the National Association of Administrative Pharmacists in 1996. She was also associated with the International Federation of Pharmacists and the West African Pharmaceutical Federation.
Her greatest professional milestone came in 1997, when she emerged as President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, becoming the first woman in the history of the Society to occupy its highest office. She served from 1997 to 2000. The achievement was historic, not merely because of the gender barrier she broke, but because it demonstrated the growing influence of women in the leadership of Nigeria’s professional institutions. The PSN continues to recognise her place in its history as its first female President.
Her tenure came at a challenging period for the pharmaceutical profession, with important questions surrounding professional regulation, drug distribution and the relationship between pharmacists and other actors within the pharmaceutical sector. Fellow pharmacists have subsequently recalled her tenure as an important period in the Society’s development and have acknowledged the challenges she confronted as the first woman to lead the organisation.
Beyond professional leadership, Senator Ekaette demonstrated a strong entrepreneurial instinct. In 1996, she established Safi Pharmacy, where she became Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Her transition from public-sector pharmaceutical administration into private enterprise reflected her ability to combine professional knowledge with business management. She subsequently served as a director of May & Baker Nigeria Plc and was also a director of Union Bank Plc.
Her public service responsibilities also extended to the education sector. She served on the board of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and participated in other national assignments, including committees concerned with environmental protection and pharmaceutical development.
In recognition of her contributions to the pharmacy profession, she received the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Lagos State Branch Merit Award in 1993. In 1994, she became a Fellow of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacy, further affirming her standing within the profession.
Her professional accomplishments eventually opened another chapter in her public life—politics. In 2007, Senator Ekaette was elected to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, and took office on May 29, 2007. She served until May 2011.
At the Senate, she served on several committees, including Women and Youth, Local and Foreign Debts, Health and Environment. Her background as a pharmacist naturally gave her a particular interest in health-related matters, while her leadership experience informed her participation in issues concerning women, youth and national development.
One of the most notable aspects of her legislative career was her advocacy on questions of public morality and social values. In 2007, she sponsored a bill seeking to prohibit and punish public nudity, sexual intimidation and related offences. The proposal generated considerable public debate and controversy, but it also demonstrated her willingness to introduce issues of social concern into the national legislative conversation.
In 2001, she was honoured by the Federal Government of Nigeria with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR), recognising her contributions to professional and national development. She was also honoured as a Lady of St. Christopher.
Her contributions have also been recognised through traditional honours. She was conferred with the titles Adiaha Ikpaisong Oruk Anam and Obonganwan Akwa Ibom in 1991, traditional recognitions that reflected the esteem in which she was held beyond her professional accomplishments.
As Akwa Ibom celebrates 39 years of Statehood, Senator Eme Ufot Ekaette, MFR, stands among the State’s distinguished leading lights: a pioneering pharmacist, historic professional leader, entrepreneur and former federal legislator whose career represents another remarkable chapter in the story of Akwa Ibom women who became national PRIDES.
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