Onari Bobmanuel Duke is a Nigerian lawyer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and advocate whose professional journey reflects a deep commitment to fostering positive change across multiple sectors. As Senior Partner at Duke & Bobmanuel, she has demonstrated exceptional acumen across various legal domains including banking and commercial law. Her leadership extends to the business sector as the Executive Chairman of Allied Merchants & Brokers Limited, a firm with significant impact in merchandising and brokerage. Her corporate governance experience includes past board positions such as Non-Executive Director at United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, where she further served as Chairman of the Finance & General Purpose Committee and Chairman of the Board Audit & Governance Committee. She also served as a member of the Board and Chairman of the Customer Service & Safety Committee at Avon Medical Practice, and Chairperson of the Board at Dizengoff Nigeria. Mrs. Duke is currently on the advisory board of Nova Business School Africa, where she continues to influence corporate governance and advance sustainable business practices.
Beyond her corporate endeavours, Mrs. Duke actively supports conflict resolution and environmental conservation, serving as a board member of the Negotiation and Conflict Management Group (NCMG International) and as a member of the Board and Chairman of the Finance Committee at Nigerian Conservation Foundation. As the Country Director for Empretec Nigeria Foundation, a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) initiative, she is instrumental in promoting the productivity and competitiveness of Small and Medium Enterprises across Nigeria. The organization has empowered over 20,000 MSME founders in diverse industries and has partnered with multinational organizations as well as Federal and State governments and parastatals to ensure that a substantial population of the country benefits from the programme.
During her tenure as First Lady of Cross River State, Mrs. Duke spearheaded HIV awareness campaigns and actively implemented intervention programmes, resulting in an unprecedented reduction in HIV prevalence rates. Within just 18 months, her initiatives helped reduce the prevalence rate from approximately 11% to 6%, a remarkable achievement recognized by the World Health Organization as a model for HIV reduction efforts. Her work during this period set new standards for public health in Nigeria and showcased the potential of community-centered health programmes.
Mrs. Duke’s commitment to health advocacy continued through her founding of the Child Survival and Development Organisation of Nigeria (CS-DON). This organization has been a powerful force for maternal and child healthcare, establishing the Calabar Women and Children Hospital and leading initiatives such as the “Run for a Cure” programme to promote awareness and support for breast, cervical, and childhood cancer. In partnership with international organizations, including the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas and World Surgical Foundation, CS-DON hosts medical missions at the hospital, providing critical healthcare services to underserved populations. Additionally, CS-DON fosters knowledge sharing between local health institutions and international medical professionals, enriching Nigeria’s healthcare system with advanced techniques and expertise.
A dedicated environmental advocate, Mrs. Duke founded the Obudu Conservation Centre, an NGO focused on the protection, education, and restoration of wildlife and wildlands in the Obudu region and the surrounding Cross River National Park, which extends into Cameroon’s Takamanda National Park. Under her leadership, the Centre provides children and communities nationwide with hands-on environmental education, emphasizing the importance of preserving the region’s unique biodiversity and fostering a culture of conservation. Her environmental influence extends to the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, where she plays a vital role in advocating for sustainable practices and policies, emphasizing climate resilience through renewable energy adoption, sustainable agriculture, and water conservation practices to mitigate the impacts of climate change on Nigeria’s vulnerable communities.
During her tenure as First Lady, Mrs. Duke’s visionary leadership transformed the cultural and tourism landscape of Cross River State. She originated the concept of the Cross River State Christmas Festival and the internationally acclaimed Calabar Carnival, both of which have become key drivers of tourism, economic growth, and cultural pride. As the leader of the Bayside Band, one of the iconic bands in the Calabar Carnival, she showcased her creative brilliance by designing the band’s costumes, developing the overarching stories, and supervising the choreography, elevating the carnival into a world-class event that attracts participants and audiences globally.
For over a decade, Mrs. Duke was the visionary behind the enchanting Christmas lighting of Calabar, which transformed the city into a magical wonderland each holiday season. Her work included designing and installing multiple Christmas trees, including a striking 20-foot tree in a major city park, as well as the dazzling street lights that illuminated Calabar’s roads. This initiative not only brought joy to residents and visitors but also inspired similar Christmas lighting projects in other major cities, including Lagos, solidifying Calabar’s reputation as Nigeria’s “Destination Christmas.”
Mrs. Duke holds an LLB in Law from Ahmadu Bello University (Nigeria), where she began her distinguished legal career. She has completed the “Making Corporate Boards More Effective” executive education programme at Harvard Business School. Additionally, she is also a certified mediator with specialized training in Alternative Dispute Resolution from Oklahoma State University and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution in the UK. Mrs. Duke further holds an honorary PhD from the Commonwealth University, recognizing her outstanding contributions to her field. She is married to Donald Duke, former Governor of Cross River State, Nigeria and they have three daughters. Beyond her professional accomplishments, she serves as a dedicated pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, reflecting her strong faith and commitment to serving her community.