On the 23of December, 2014, members of the advertising industry in the FCT honoured a well deserving member of the APCON, Senator Solomon Sunday Akuku Ewuga, for his contribution to the development of the industry.
Ewuga, a distinguished member of the Senate is an astute politician, an administrator per excellence and a media practitioner with practical experience in journalism and advertising. He is also a vastly experienced administrator. Ewuga as a seasoned journalist was trained at Stockholms University, after he graduated from the University of Jos with a Bachelor of Law (LLB) in 1987 and his eventual call to bar in 1988.
Ewuga began his journey into politics in 1982 when he contested and won the Publicity Secretary of the National Party of Nigeria, (NPN) and later became the National Auditor for UNCP from 1996 to 1997.
When the Peoples Democratic Party was formed in 1998, he was the Assistant National Legal Adviser, North Central Zone, and later a governorship aspirant for PDP in Nasarawa state in 1998. In 2007 he won the governorship candidature of the All Nigerians People’s Party (ANPP).
As a serving senator representing the people of Nasarawa North in the National Assembly his active and vibrant contribution to debates on the floor of the Senate would not cease to resonate.
As an active and vibrant contributor in the law making process of the Senate, he sponsored and co-sponsored some motions and bills in the Upper Chambers which include the motion for the urgent need to investigate the imminent collapse of third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. He was instrumental to the development of Solid Minerals Sector as a panacea to the bankruptcy of the federation and creation of jobs in Nigeria.
As a member of the Senate committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental affairs, his numerous contribution to the Report on the State of the Nation Address Bill 2013, a bill for an act to enshrine an annual state of the Nation address and other matters connected thereto was pivotal to that bill.
Though, the primary assignment of the distinguished senator is to contribute to the law making process for the country, Ewuga would lose sleep to protect the interest of his people. The state government and the federal government have the responsibility to provide infrastructure, but the senator as a realist would not shy from the fact that the government at the three tiers may not be able to provide the need of every constituency at the same time giving the limited resources, take it as a personal responsibility to ensure that the need of Nasarawa North Senatorial district is adequately protected.
He has constructed 13 hand pump boreholes for communities in his district, construction of classroom blocks with VIP toilets for schools and more than ten rural electrification projects are also facilitated by the senator to ensure easy life for his people.
To build a better future for the people he encouraged progressive search for knowledge with provision of scholarships for the community. In fact over 250 students currently enjoy Senator Solomon Ewuga’s Scholarship Scheme including 3 abroad.
Ewuga’s donation of bundles of zincs, nails and other roofing materials to relief those whose houses were affected by wind storm at Mada Station is a vivid depiction of a man who is connected to the plight of his people in clear opposition to what is obtainable in other constituencies and districts across the country. Little wonder they refer to him as “The Peoples Senator”.
A man of many parts, his political commitments did not deprive him of pursing professional credentials. He remains an active member of several professional bodies which include the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (Fellow, NIPR), Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria (APCON) where he is a Full Member.
Even the Sahel storm in its full swiftness would not wipe away the footprint of Ewuga in the development of the advertising profession in the northern part of the country as he remains the first to establish an advertising agency in the region., ADPURE Nigeria Limited, that was established in the 80’s and it still runs till date.
Ewuga has attended several specialized courses among which are the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation School course on “ Public Relations/Advertising in Nigeria”, World Bank Seminar on“ Privatization” held at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington and “Making Corporate Boards more Effective” at the Harvard Business School, Boston.
