Mrs Edem Ikoku was born to Chief Otu Edet and Chief Mrs Hannah Bassey Otudor. She had her primary education in the famous Duke Town School, like her mother; then attended Aggrey Memorial College, the first co-educational secondary school in West Africa. She would later graduate from University of Ife with a degree in pharmacy.

 

In a fairy tale love story, she met her ‘prince’, Chimere Ikoku, when he returned from the University of Chicago to join the staff of Aggrey Memorial College as a science teacher. Her marriage to her best friend would later be blessed with three children: Goomsu Affiong, Ikenna Otu and Erinma Hannah.

 

She shared a passion for science with her husband, the late Professor Chimere Ikoku. This bond led them into satisfying careers as hospital Pharmacist and Chemistry Professor/University Administrator respectively. She touched lives and served her country Nigeria diligently.  She worked as a Pharmacist in the services of the then East Central State, Cross River State, the Federal Government and Enugu State where she retired as a Chief Pharmacist in 1993.

 

She was passionate for a just and fair society which provides opportunity for its citizens to open their minds through education; enhance quality of life and improve the society; and also live together in truth, peace and harmony. She especially cared about the less privileged in society and continued to contribute to charity through her retirement in dedication and service to humanity.

 

Her enduring legacy is that with all her blessings, she served her community and humanity. A much abridged outline of her contributions is that:

Inside and outside the hospital, she enjoyed giving health advice. She cared for and actively supported her extended family and community. As an active volunteer in several organisations, she was involved with the education of the young. She was a founding member of Calabar Technical Schools Project, a cooperative group that set up the first technical college at Ikot Effanga. As patron of the University Women’s Association, she helped raise funds and worked tirelessly to ensure completion of the Children’s Library at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Beyond organised charity, she gave of her resources to the less privileged in society. Well into her retirement, she often donated her widow’s mite from her epileptic pension.

 

Edem cherished the simple pleasure of making the world just that little bit better. So it can indeed be said that hers was truly a life well-lived.