Professor Okon Ekpa was born on the 31st of October, 1949 at Nung Oku Ekanem in Oniong Nung Ndem, Awa (ONNA) Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Prof. Ekpa obtained his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) in 1963 at Oniong Group School, Ikot Akpatek. He attended Nsit Peoples Grammar School, Afaha Affiong, in Nsit Ibom LGA from 1965-1967, Salvation Army Secondary School, Akai, Ubuim in 1968, after the Civil War where he took his WASC in 1970. In November, 1971, he proceeded to the United States of America where he obtained his B.Sc.in Chemistry from Howard University, Washington DC, in 1976; M.Sc. programme in the same University form 1976-1979, and from 1979-1981 he obtained his Ph.D in Applied Organic Chemistry. In 1982, he was awarded a certificate on Basic and Advanced Concepts in High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) from Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, USA.
Prof. Ekpa has published over 45 peer reviewed articles in both national and international journals, some of which have attracted global attention and has resulted in his winning of a collaborative research agreement on Fats and Oils with an Italian vegetable oil company. Some of his publications have placed him on the mailing list of organizations such as International Centre for Under-utilized Crops as part of their world-wide collation of data on Pachylobus odulis (African peer tree). He was nominated and listed in the prestigious WHO is WHO in the WORLD (14TH EDITION, 1997, P.396) By Marguis’ WHO is WHO in America. He was nominated for World Conference on Polyphenols in France. Award of honour and recognition for meritorious contribution to the Development of Education Sector in Nigeria by Dorben Polytechnic, Abuja, which Engineering Block is also named after him, 2009. Award of Excellence by Nigerian Association of Computer Science Students, University of Calabar, in recognition of my outstanding achievements and contributions to Human Resources Development, 2009. Meritorious Award of Honour by Students Union Government, University of Calabar In Recognition of Humanitarian Services to the Nigerian Students, 2009. Nominated for Golden Fellowship Award of Strategic Finance and Administrative Institute, 2008. Nominated for Development in Nigeria Merit Award by People State and Resources Magazine, 2008. Listed in WHO is WHO in Akwa Ibom State, 2007.