Ukpeme Akpan Okon is the Author of award-winning The Values String: A book on Transitional Life, Compelling Fulfillment, and Profound Peace. A Lawyer, Arbitrator, Adjudicator, Mediator, Speaker, Trainer, Mentor, Trailblazer, and Ambassador for Peace, she believes that the complexities of the world, and challenges encountered by individuals can be surmounted.
Her areas of core competence are in Peacebuilding, Adjudication, Mediation, Arbitration, Corporate Legal Practice, Intellectual Property, Women and Children’s Rights Advocacy, Public Speaking /Motivational Speeches, Global Partnership for Development, and Capacity Building.
She Founded Guild of Adjudicators in Nigeria (GAIN), and is the Pioneer Coordinator of Justice, Development and Peace Commission of the Catholic Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles Parish, Abuja. She has held other leadership positions.
Ukpeme is the Convener of The Peace Agenda. The Peace Agenda is a platform for strategizing sustainable agenda, and action for peace. The Peace Agenda Summit, which she organizes, comprises 17 speakers: Presenting Strategies for Achieving Both Personal and World Peace.
Ukpeme is a member of Women, Peace and Security Network. She is a former Assistant General Secretary of International Federation of Women Lawyers, Abuja Branch. She has served on the Zero Draft sub-committee of Non-Governmental Organization / United Nations Convention on the Status of Women.
Ukpeme is a past Secretary of the Abuja Chapter — Nigeria Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and was one of the 5 signatories to an application to establish the Abuja Chapter. She is a certified mental health coach, and a member of other organizations.
Ukpeme was awarded the title “Ambassador for Peace” by the Universal Peace Federation. She is a recipient of a Powerhouse Global Award — Justice for the People Advocate.
A resource person, with papers and presentations to her credit, she has served as Rapporteur on various assignments, and was a panelist at a High Level event of the United Nations General Assembly.
Ukpeme has received other Awards, and is desirous of leaving a legacy of peace, time consciousness, organizational excellence, team work and meritorious leadership. These are qualities she exhibited from ten years of age.
After successfully acting as a mediator in a protracted difficult situation, she was referred to as “Peace Maker.” This, and other related circumstances led to her determination to help people lead peaceful, transformational, fulfilled lives.
Ukpeme has been writing since her childhood. She recalls writing instructional notes as a child, and still has those writings. She has held leadership positions since her teenage years, until now.
A Rotarian, Ukpeme takes pleasure in peacebuilding, good music, mental wellness, culinary art, life coaching, nature, dancing, traveling and, volunteering. She is married, with children.
Where did the idea for your career come from?
I am the Convener of The Peace Agenda. The Peace Agenda, is a platform for peace enthusiasts to create, and act on a sustainable agenda for achieving peace.
The Peace Agenda Summit was launched on September 21, 2019 with 17 charismatic speakers presenting “Strategies for Achieving Both Personal and World Peace.”
In my interactions, I realized my calling to inspire people, and to be a voice, and action for peace.
Serving as a mediator in a difficult protracted case contributed to shaping my view on peace strategies. After successfully mediating in this case, I was referred to as “Peace Maker.” This, and other related circumstances inspired my peace work.
As an Ambassador for Peace I am collating The Peace Agenda of people across the world. The Peace Agenda is what you will do for peace.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I coordinate my endeavors and activities well. I enjoy them. The crucial management model I use to avoid working under pressure is organization.
By this method, I am able to avoid conflict of schedules, and make my day productive.
My ability to handle setbacks teaches me lessons in possibilities, the power of determination, focus, and the effectiveness of organization.
How do you bring ideas to life?
This is an insightful question.
I bring my ideas to life through self-inspiration, and my desire to make the world a peaceful place.
Interactions with people also influenced my ideas, which came alive in my achievements through my experiences as a lawyer, leader, trail blazer, mediator, author, speaker, Ambassador for Peace, alternative dispute resolution practitioner, mentor, parent, spouse, daughter, sibling, relative, friend, neighbor, colleague, stranger, among others.
I hope to help people I interact with to achieve compelling fulfillment, and profound peace.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Believing that I can achieve, and acting into achievement.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
My keen enthusiasm for fulfillment.
The satisfaction I derive from this practice transcends many perceived criteria for success.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would encourage my younger self not to suppress my talents, and to continually enhance my proficiency as I advance in age.
I am blessed with talents.
For instance, regarding my writing skills, I wrote short instructional pages as a child (I still have some of them, in my handwriting at the time). I remember writing songs as an adolescent, which I self- tuned and made a compilation of those songs written in my classroom, whilst waiting for my teachers! I continued writing in my adulthood and have published my first book: The Values String: A book on Transitional Life, Compelling Fulfillment, and Profound Peace.
All my talents will be used to the glory of the almighty, and for the benefit of humanity.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
World Peace is Possible! (some people may agree with me on this).
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Inculcating ethics in my business.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
Working/serving with a value-based intention, and outcome.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
This is an interesting question.
I experienced lack of success in securing sponsorships for my projects. So, what did I do? I was not deterred from my goals. I persevered, and successfully accomplished my projects.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Believe in your ability to achieve your business objectives.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
The best $100 and more I recently spent was used to organize The Peace Agenda Summit.
I gladly spent this amount because of my zeal for peace and to present “Strategies for Achieving Both Personal and World Peace.”
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?
Mailchimp helps me with customer/subscriber relationship management.
I mainly use Mailchimp for electronic messaging and electronic message marketing.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
I recommend The Values String: A book on Transitional Life, Compelling Fulfillment, and Profound Peace, by Ukpeme Akpan Okon.
This unique, creative, motivational book establishes the nexus among transformation, resilience, hope, fulfillment, and peace. It also highlights mental health issues, such as refraining from stigmatization of persons, encouraging persons to seek help, among others.
The author’s creativity is showcased through self-composed songs, which align with some sections in the book. This valuable book introduces a self-mastery and betterment method created by the author, known as The Values String.
Readers of The Values String are certain to understand how mindfulness can foster transformation, fulfillment, and peace.
Through the author’s composed songs, one can experience the ability to sing to, through, and out of any circumstance. One value is a gemstone. Envisage owning several values and stringing them…
What is your favorite quote?
I do not have a favorite quote but I love these words of Eleanor Roosevelt:
“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”
Key Learnings:
I am thankful for this opportunity to share some of my experiences with readers.
1. Be and stay organized
2. Practice self-care, and seek help when needed
3. Remain focused. You can surmount challenges to achieve your goals
Connect:
Carlyn runs the day-to-day publishing operation here at ideamensch and interacts with our awesome customers and entrepreneurs. She is likely editing this with a cat on her lap.