Umana had a distinguished career in the public service. A review of his career history opens to three thematic interests of (i) a rapid, meritorious rise to the top (ii) appointment into positions of pivotal impact in the effective execution of public policies and programmes, and (iii) virtuoso job performance in every assignment in the course of an illustrious career, a feat that earned him the Akwa Ibom State Public Service Award for Outstanding Performance in 1991. This career spanning 32 years peaked with his appointment in 2007 as Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government, a position Umana held and executed with such merit that when he disengaged from government in July 2013, the governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio described him at the inauguration of a new SSG to take over from Umana on July 31 2013 as a man of “exceptional competence.” In a letter of appreciation also dated July 31 2013, Governor Akpabio made the following evaluation of Umana’s tenure as SSG, “On behalf of the Government and the good People of Akwa Ibom State, I write to convey to you my profound gratitude for the worthy contributions you made to the development of our dear State while you served as the Secretary to the State Government from Friday, 1st June 2007 to Tuesday, 30th July, 2013…your commitment and dedication to duties as a Member of the State Executive Council contributed immensely to the achievements recorded by my Administration.” The governor’s valedictory testament on Umana more or less validated the oft-repeated remark that Umana was critical to the success of the Akpabio administration.