Samuel Inyang, an engineer and a former managing director of Shell Nigeria Gas Ltd, is dead. He was 74.
Mr Inyang’s passing was announced on Monday in a statement from his first son, Itorobong Inyang, who said his father died on 31 July after a brief illness.
The late engineer, who had over three decades of experience in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, hailed from Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State.
He had served previously as the general manager, production, East, in Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd before his appointment as managing director of Shell Nigeria Gas Ltd.
He retired as change manager for globalisation for Africa, Shell E&P International.
Mr Inyang represented oil companies on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission between 2000 and 2006, and was a founding member of the Nigerian Gas Association (1979-97) and Director, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Lagos section (1997-99). He was a member of the Nigeria Society of Engineers.
Mr Inyang was an Officer of the Order of the Niger, Nigeria’s national honour bestowed on him in 2012. He was the pro-chancellor of the Akwa Ibom State University, Mkpat Enin, from May 2019 to July 2020.
Until his death, Mr Inyang was the CEO of Seyang Limited, a flourishing civil engineering company in Nigeria.
The late engineer was a devout Catholic who was committed to charity, and was known to have set up endowment funds for the advancement of education in Nigeria, one of which was Isabella Medical Scholarship Fund in honour of his late wife, Isabella Inyang, who was an eye surgeon.
Each beneficiary of the scholarship – medical students who had a minimum of 4.0/5.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average – received N250,000 per year.
Over 30 students who benefited so far from the Isabella Medical Scholarship Fund are now practicing in various branches of medicine within and outside Nigeria.
Mr Inyang also set up a fund at St. Louise’s Inclusive School, Ikot Ekpene, to support the education of physically challenged people.
Meanwhile, those who knew the departed engineer have reacted to the shocking news of his death.
Anietie Usen, a media aide to Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, described Mr Inyang’s passing as “shocking and sad”.
“I worked with him at NDDC when he was the Rep of Oil Companies on the Board of NDDC. He was a very refined, decent, humane, friendly and brilliant gentleman, who was highly respected and loved by all and sundry,” Mr Usen said on Facebook.
A resident of Abuja, Celestine Mel, wrote glowingly about the life of the late engineer whom he met while doing his internship at Shell in Port Harcourt in 2000.
“He came across as a down-to-earth executive who carried no airs. Twice, I ate with him on the same lunch table at the mess hall, just me and him. We shared jokes and stories.
