Profile of Rt. Hon. (Elder) Aniekan Umanah
Like the rising sun over the palm-lined valleys of Abak, Aniekan Umanah was born into royalty , a son of legacy and purpose. The second child in a family of seven, his early life was steeped in the values of discipline, service, and reverence, shaped by the heritage of his father, the late Elder John Umanah Equo of Abak Village in Akwa Ibom State.
His journey through knowledge began in the classrooms of Bishop Clark’s Primary School, passed through the famed walls of Holy Family College, and culminated in Lutheran High School, where his academic spark began to burn bright. That spark would blaze into brilliance as he earned degrees and certifications across some of the finest institutions , the University of Uyo, University of Lagos, Cambridge University in the UK, and Lagos Business School. With a Master’s in Political Communication already in hand, he now walks the path of scholarly inquiry as a Ph.D. candidate in Leadership at the Federal University, Lokoja.
From the ink-stained fingers of a young reporter at Outlook Newspapers in 1989 to the editorial suites of Newswatch Magazine, Aniekan Umanah’s name became etched in the chronicles of Nigerian journalism. His career spans decades of influence , from covering politics as a correspondent to redefining media through innovation. In 2004, he co-founded Millennium Choice Technologies, and by 2005, he had launched Executive Options Media Ltd., bringing groundbreaking ideas to the advertising and public relations space.
In 2016, his vision for a united African media voice birthed the African Media Network (AMNETT). Through this platform , and The Oversight Magazine, which he publishes , he has amplified African governance narratives and parliamentary engagement. As Convener of the Nigeria House Policy Initiative, he continues to inspire policy dialogues across the continent.
In the green halls of the National Assembly, as a Member of the 9th House of Representatives for Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency, he became a voice of the people — bold, articulate, and unrelenting. He championed bills that birthed institutions and motions that spoke truth to power. From educational and aviation colleges to reforms in defense, coastal development, signage regulation, and digital learning, his legislative legacy runs deep. He advocated for the vulnerable, the forgotten, the youth, and the nation.
He served on critical committees : Justice, Army, Public Accounts, Judiciary, Media, and more , culminating in his role as Chairman of the House Ad Hoc Committee on Retention Funds, where he demanded transparency and accountability in public spending.
Before the National Assembly, Hon. Umanah served his state with distinction as Commissioner for Information and Communications in Akwa Ibom across three administrations (2008–2016), shaping public discourse and managing government communications with unmatched professionalism. He was a pillar of strategy for multiple election campaigns, a trusted hand in party advisory roles, and a founding member of numerous development and cultural organizations.
But perhaps his most enduring impact is felt in the lives he’s touched , the communities empowered, the youths lifted, the futures shaped. He has installed transformers and restored light to darkened villages. He has built roads and schools, offered scholarships, provided free JAMB forms to thousands, and delivered life-saving medical outreaches. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his swift response brought palliatives, medical supplies, and hope to his people.
His compassion is practical. His leadership, people-centered. Through training programs and empowerment schemes, he has enabled hundreds to rise from dependency to enterprise. He remains deeply rooted in the values of service , a community builder, a silent reformer, a humble elder of Qua Iboe Church who lets his works speak louder than his words.
He is a husband to the graceful Diamond Lady Maureen Umanah, and together they are raising a family grounded in love, faith, and purpose.
Rt. Hon. Aniekan Umanah is not just a public servant. He is a renaissance soul , one who walks with kings but never loses the common touch; who lights candles rather than curse the darkness. His story is a poem still being written , and with each new stanza, he writes hope into the lives of others.