Deltans Making Nigeria Proud
Globally they have caused dramatic turnaround in the lives of millions of people in Nigeria, Africa and the globe using their educational prowess, wealth, experience, high networks of contacts and connections, technological advancement as well as hard earned goodwill
By Ovie Edomi
Since Nigeria’s Independence in October 1, 1960, the country has not stopped throwing up nationalists who are not only selfless but truly and genuinely love contributing to the growth of the country and the people. So, although, Nigeria may not be among the league of first world countries, the commitments of some Nigerians to national growth, human capacity development and corporate leadership has placed the nation on the lips of many global leaders.This is even so because at different world economic summits and other gatherings of global leaders, the contributions of some Nigerians to global development especially in the area of healthcare, education and technology have characterised discussions which speaks volumes. “Tell me what you can do for your country and not what your country can do for you” is a cliche that best explains the strong commitments of some Deltans who have through personal efforts used their wealth, educational endowment and economic power to advance the dream of providing better life for many Nigerians at home and in diaspora as well as helping to address the issue of massive unemployment and hunger.This is happening in an era where there is a decline in the growth indices of many nations and government of many countries are not only looking at what the state can do to assist in building their nations, but looking for people who ultimately have not only acquired fame and fortune but are ready to support the teeming youths and elderly in diverse parts of their countries in Africa and globally. A trip to Delta State by this magazine’s editors was quite revealing. The aim of the editors was to locate the towns where some notable Nigerians from Delta state come from and then evaluate their roles in relation to their fames and how their fame and wealth have impacted on Nigerians and humanity in general.As the curtain draws on some personalities, even the magazine readers would see why the editors consider them as the best of Deltans in their life time who targeted youth empowerment, development of education and human capacity growth as well as reduction of hunger. Interestingly, their marks have a place not only in Nigeria but in global history.In the forefront of these Deltans are:
Prof. Ngozi Okonji-Iweala, an international figure and one of the globally recognised personalities who until her appointment as Chief Executive/Director General, World Trade Organization, WTO served in different capacities including being federal minister of finance and coordinating minister for the economy. During her tenure as finance minister under the administration of former President – Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, she was pivotal to the writing off of Nigeria’s debts to the World Bank. A rare breed, Prof. Okonji-Iweala unraveled the mess in oil subsidy and worked out modalities to address it even in the era of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, when she was a federal minister; but the oil cabals could not allow her have her way. However, using her vast experience, she selflessly served her fatherland and created numerous employment opportunities including skill acquisitions programmes for countless persons across Nigeria, Nigerians in diaspora and citizens of other countries. She has not only touched millions of people, she has used her skills, wealth and contacts to give meaning to countless individuals across Nigeria and the globe. Even though she uses her wealth to benefit people across nations, she is a strong adherence to prudence. She continues to consider Nigerians and the Nigeria situation as one that deserves urgent attention so that the most populous black nation can occupy a place of greater honour among comity of nations.
Tompolo (His real name is Government Ekpemupolo). Long before he was born, his parents had been told about his coming to liberate not only his people but serve as a bridge builder in his country. As foretold, from being a warlord, Tompolo, has become a phenomenal figure in the economic turnaround of Nigeria. At a time in the history of Nigeria when crude oil production began to dwindle, it took the wisdom of the federal government to call Tompolo and awarded him the contract of securing the nation’s pipeline. Since then, crude oil production has been on the increase. In 2023 alone, through the efforts of Tompolo’s pipeline surveillance contract that created jobs for several thousands, the nation made so much from crude oil sales. Significantly too, Tompolo has provided thousands of Ijaws, Urhobos, Itsekiris and other tribes with professional skills home and abroad. Many of whom have become employers of labour and helping to sustain families and the country in general. His contributions to economic stability, growth and human capacity development are enormous.
Chief Mike Nwaukoni, the Iyasere of Ogwashi-Uku is a man gifted with many things, such that when he speaks, his words flow with admirable ease and candour that soothes both the oppressed and poor in the society. Chief Nwaukoni, has played a prominent role in building young men from poor homes into becoming captains of industries and heads of multi-national companies. He has used his group of companies including Migfo Group as an employment group to groom people who he describes as those who will rule the world in the not-too-distant future. No wonder he enjoys building more people through his vast empire, and he is regarded as The Tiger that never fails. His contributions to human capacity development and to the nation’s maritime and allied industries are a model for people to study and emulate. It is not a surprise that the multi-billionaire is not only an ambassador of his people but a globally recognised personality from Delta state, Nigeria.
Prof. G. G. Darah is another name that will not be forgotten for centuries to come. Here is a man who as the Chairman of the Guardian Editorial Board, made waves and suddenly took to lecturing to dispense his knowledge and skills to build a generation of communicators, literary geniuses and intellects who could equally grow to become notable literates in their time like William Shakespeare, Woke Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and so on. Aside lecturing, he used his vast knowledge in the establishment of many universities from conceptual level until they are founded within Nigeria and beyond. There is a popular belief among Urhobo people that Prof Darah is one of the custodians of the Urhobo culture that would make the fifth ethic tribe in Nigeria not to go extinct. To further say that Prof Darah has developed programmes and made several training interventions that have built thousands of minds across Nigeria and beyond would amount to saying the least.
Prof. Andy Egwunyenga, the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Delta State University is another intellectual colossus that has used his educational prowess to selflessly affect millions of lives and homes. He is an exceptional brand of academics with vast records of building men of competence that have grown to become first class brains in different fields. He is the architect of the new brand Delta State University, Abraka hitherto famous for cultism but through his managerial skill has been rebranded to occupy a place of honour. He equally has returned the university to one with vast human and material resources that can stand tall anywhere globally, a development that has placed many graduands of the university on a respectable pedestal in and outside Nigeria. To say that Prof Egwunyenga has blazed the trail not only in academics, educational development and employment generation for countless persons is an understatement. This is in addition to advancing academics and education beyond Nigeria.
Senator Ede Dafinone has achieved greatness, not only because greatness was thrusted on him, but over the years, he, having been born into an accounting family (with the largest accountants on earth), has combined his accounting practice (and recently) with politics to set up industries that have created jobs and filled the hunger gaps in thousands of homes within and outside Nigeria. Senator Dafinone, a member of the 10th Senate has through his programmes and projects shown his interest to build the young and elderly not only by attracting projects that empowers the people; but by using his wealth to create jobs agriculture-wise in addition to liaising with federal institutions in Delta state to help grow human capacity and development.
Engr Augustine Oghenejobo is another notable Nigerian from Delta state. He owns one of the leading indigenous companies in the Oil and Gas industry. A certified engineer, Chief Augustine Oghenejobo has in multi-dimensional approaches changed the face of deep-sea engineering in Nigeria and beyond using his conglomerate. He realized early after graduation that no nation shapes national development without technological invention, human capacity development and investments in sciences, engineering education, agriculture, banking, construction, and so on. So, he began with a clearcut direction by investing in engineering and science. His innovative spirit has made Fenog a household name in the Oil and Gas sector as well as the maritime and its allied industries in Africa. It is on record that at a time oil pipelines on land surface were vulnerable and became subject of vandalism by oil thieves his company invented the CHDD Technology through which the nation was rescued from the pangs and antics of pipeline vandals and oil thieves, who held the nation’s oil industry by the jugular. Even then, keen observes and stakeholders say Chief Engr Oghenejobo’s contributions to technological invention, engineering, transfer of skills to thousands of youths and young adults as well as the employment he created has helped to reduce unemployment rate in the in Oil and Gas sector. He equally has in his off-shore companies abroad Nigerians in diaspora working in large numbers. He is one highly sought after industry veteran that has brought pride to Africa aside his massive human capital development, employment opportunities offered to thousands along with his philanthropic gestures to millions across the globe which has helped to restore more confidence in Nigeria by foreign investors.
Senator Ned Nwoko is another household name from Delta state even before he became a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Apart from affecting lives for decades, since he became Senator, hardly will any Senator say that he has done much better than Senator Nwoko. In one year alone in the senate he did three batches of empowerment for thousands of people. As if he is in a desire to do more, in two phases he reached out to diverse persons through medical outreaches to care for those in need of medicare. An apostle of good governance, exceptional businessman and international figure, Senator Nwoko has wide network of friends globally. A prince, lawyer, environmentalist, philanthropist and politician, Prince Nwoko has chains of businesses in Nigeria and abroad covering real estate, oil, tourism and agriculture through which he has developed huge human capital both in Nigeria and abroad. It is equally on record that Senator Nwoko was the first black Africa to visit the South Pole where he hoisted Nigeria’s flag as the 13th country in the world. he was also the one that helped Nigeria with $20 billion refunds from Paris Club group of leaders as well as the owner of the first sports university in Sub-Sahara Africa.
Dr. Ngozi Juliet Olejeme is another household name that is on the lips of administrators, entrepreneurs and politicians. A former chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Found, NSITF and former National Deputy Director of Humanitarian and Social in the APC President Campaign Council, PCC, Dr. Olejeme is fearless, progressive and a bundle of knowledge. She created one of the best opportunities and enabling environment for women to be integrated into governance and leadership responsibilities thereby creating several thousands of jobs for many women and young men. Aside making more women visible in government in Nigeria, she coordinated different programmes and skills acquisition trainings that helped to provide jobs for thousands of persons, and contributed in building and sustaining the economic development of women as well as their social advancement. At every forum, she reminded Nigeria workers to build the country and equally emphasized on why women should not undermine their potentials. A former governorship aspirant in Delta state, she continues to help people to develop their potentials locally, nationally and on the global scene using her managerial expertise and philanthropic gestures. Described by many as mother with a big heart and uncommon brilliance, she spear-headed the passage of the sumptuary Employee Compensation Scheme, ECS bill into law. The scheme provides among other things, adequate compensation to all categories of Nigeria workers both in the public and private sectors and their dependents in the event of any injury, sickness, disability or death arising in the course of employment. Through her pet project U and I and widowhood projects, lives of thousands of widows were touched including, market women. She also helped many brilliant students and improved their lives by paying their school fees and securing jobs for countless individuals. She is one Nigerian from Delta state whose contribution to Nigeria, Africa and beyond remain indelible.
Pa Edwin Clark is a senior citizen that provided Nigeria with one of the best leadership directions in his time in government as federal minister. A product of the old generation, but even at 97, the lawyer, politician and educationist has remained one of the most highly placed personalities from Delta state, and abroad. His advancements in education, history and so on are legendary. Born to a respectable and amicable family in Kiagbodo, the veteran leader from Ijaw extraction pioneered the establishment of the Midwest Institute of Technology, which later transformed into Edwin Clark University. Today not only is he a household name, the Edwin Clark University has equally been able to exert influence in the education industry. Pa Edwin Clark’s aspiration of addressing in a systematic manner the problem of human capacity development saw him taking some key measures. One of such was the step he took when militants went on rampage in Niger Delta. He made them to embrace the amnesty initiative of late President Musa Yar’Adua and much later when President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan took over, he continued with the amnesty programmes which led to the restoration of peace in the Niger Delta and subsequently a boom in crude oil production. Hence Pa Edwin Clark is literally seen as the father of the repentant militants and champion of amnesty for Niger Delta war Lords. Because Pa Clark continues to pitch his tent with the masses, at every opportunity, he created vast opportunity for human capital development and employment for numerous persons. Across the Ijaw nation, many people believe that just as Tompolo has made the Ijaw nation to get to greater heights, Pa Clark remains one of the foremost persons in the Ijaw nation. He has through the use of his clout and knowledge attracted growth and human development to the region and beyond.
Prof. Ben Akpoyomare Oghojafor is another Deltan with intellectual versatility, profound depth of knowledge and scholar of international repute. As a former president of the Academy of Management of Nigeria, he is one Nigerian from Delta state that is arguably highly endowed with administrative prowess. A former Deputy Chancellor at the University of Lagos and current Vice Chancellor of Dennis Osadebay University, Delta State, the professor of Strategic and Entrepreneurial Management, has made remarkable landmarks in Nigeria’s education sector by making the new university the hub of creativity and innovations. He reduced the frustrations of young adults who sought university education but were denied by opening up spaces and accrediting new courses for the new university thereby making more young adults in need of wider knowledge in the Ivory tower to find a conducive place to live, and subsequently contribute to the growth of the nation and the globe. He is famous not only in strategic and entrepreneurial management but as a giant promoter of programmes that involve global partnership on education using a PPP model. An apostle of decorum, discipline, good behaviour and pursuit of academic excellence, his products and contributions to education and human capacity development are not only legendary but outstanding.
Capt Anthony Onoharigho, PhD, started life as a cadet with a clear cut direction and over the last few decades he has written his name in gold not only in Nigeria but in Sub-Sahara Africa and in Europe and America.
He used his position as the first black man to own a ship classification company as well as a ship registrar for Liberia flagged vessels along side his academy, popularly known as Conarina Maritime Academy to breed young seafarers. The academy has over a decade continues to shun out young cadets in neutical science, marine engineering, computer hard and software engineering, welding and fabrication, shipping management and so on. This is in addition to other short courses like basic safety training, efficient Deck hand, EDH, preparatory, international safety management and so on.
This is aside helping to create opportunities for many ishekiri, Ijaw and Urbobo young adults to explore their talents in the sea trade. Onoharigho, has not only helped in training seafarers, he is a household name in the sea trade business and recognized for his outstanding assignment as Africa’s regional director of Conarina group based in Miami, United States. A leading worldwide ship classification conglomerate. Through his educational prowess, huge foreign contacts and vast experience in international shipping coupled with his vast knowledge he has made thousands of people across Nigeria and abroad benefit immensely from diverse maritime opportunities in Nigeria and abroad, thereby contributing to human capacity development and impacting on the nation.
This Nigerian from Delta State and in fact the immediate past First Deputy President-General of UPU worldwide, the Apex Social Cultural Group for the whole of Urhobo land: the fifth ethnic tribe in Nigeria, has remained a phenomenal personality in Nigeria whose roles toward reducing unemployment and hunger as well as building Nigeria’s image abroad are unmistakably legendary.
Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas is a silent businessman, accountant and politician who does things with great passion and enthusiasm. Whatever he sets out to do he does with great passion, with eyes on positive results. A Senator in the 10th Assembly, the tax policy expert, businessman, and philanthropist has over the years worked silently to promote social justice, and economic growth by venturing into entrepreneurship after his civil and public service that led to the establishment of a conglomerate with over a thousand employees spread across agriculture, mining, telecommunications, hospitality, merchandise, and construction. He is equally the owner of Joel-Onowakpo & Co, a tax, auditing Management and Assurance consulting firm.
Nduka Obaigbena, is a media mogul who owns, Arise TV, a channel that features in Africa, US and Europe continent. He is equally the publisher of the ThisDay Newspapers, known for his proven track record of excellent innovations and superior media service delivery in Nigeria and abroad. The senior citizen of Nigeria from Delta state popularly referred to as the Duke, is one media guru in Africa whose distinguished tenacity, charisma, dogmatism, resourcefulness and creativity has helped to shape the face of the Nigerian media and place the country on respectable pedestal globally through his media prowess and progress. He had through his media outfits and international connections, advanced human capacity development for media practitioners and other experts. He has in the same vein provided employment opportunities to several thousands of Nigerians at home and abroad. Very few conglomerates have the manpower that Obaigbena has across the globe. He continues to blaze the trail in the provision of human capital development, media repositioning for the future and equipping media practitioners with new skills that can make diversity into other specialized areas easy when they are done with media practice.
Tony Onyemachi Elumelu, is one Nigerian from Delta state that is globally recognised. An economist, banker and philanthropist, he chairs Heirs Holdings, Transcorp, United Bank for Africa and so on. His foundation, the Tony Elumelu’s Foundation is one of Africa’s leading philanthropic organizations that empowers a generation of African entrepreneurs, eradicating poverty and catalysing job creation across all the 54 African countries as well as increasing women’s empowerment. Elumelu is equally a mentor to millions of investors and entrepreneurs across Africa and Europe. His companies UBA, Transcorp, etc., are one of the highest employers of labour across Africa and the globe.
Prof. Partrick Okedinachi Utomi is another academics, management consultant and politician who has used his management skills and wealth to create massive job opportunities and empowerment for thousands of persons locally and internationally. A professor of political economy, and management expert, Utomi is a founding Senior Faculty member of the Lagos Business School, Pan – Atlantic University as well as scholar-in-residence at Haward Business School and American University in Washington DC. As an entrepreneur, Utomi has founded and co-founded many companies that are into ICT, financial services, media and so on; using them to provide huge employment for several youths and adults. His collaborations with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington in the US and Chatham House in the UK have impacted largely on Nigeria in different ways, especially in the area of political economy and growth of Nigeria.
Jim Ovia, an alumnus of the prestigious Harvard University. Ovia is one Deltan that cannot be forgotten whenever the story of commercial banking in Nigeria is discussed. In attestation to this fact, Forbes, Africa dubbed him the “Godfather of Banking” having been instrumental to the establishment and growth of Nigeria’s largest money deposit bank. Apart from banking, this noble personality of Ika extraction, has investments across several industries including insurance, hospitality, information and communication technology (ICT), transportation and real estate. Through his foundation – the Jim Ovia Foundation he has provided university scholarship to thousands of students from Delta state and beyond. Through the same foundation, Ovia deepened his interest in educational development of the people by establishing the James Hope College – a co-educational boarding secondary school in his hometown of Agbor, Delta state; providing scholarships for over 50% of its enrollees. Equally, Ovia’s philanthropic gestures has been extended to other aspects of human capacity development including healthcare initiatives, including the establishment of hospitals and healthcare facilities as well as youth empowerment. No doubt, this true Delta state indigene has helped to drive away hunger and unemployment from hundreds of thousands citizens of Nigeria and others both in and outside the shores of this country.
Dr Otive Igbuzor is another highly resourceful Nigerian, an exceptional breed whose background training cuts across different fields of human endeavours. Otive as he is popularly called, is a pharmacist, development practitioner, civil society activist, philanthropist, leadership coach and a pastor. Through the African Centre for Leadership Strategy and Development Leadership School which has a campus in Warri, over 2400 graduands have been produced many of which are leading in various sectors of human endeavours in and outside Nigeria. In collaboration with his wife, he set up the Ejiro and Otive Igbuzor Foundation in Delta state through which scholarships are given yearly to indigent pupils and as at date, hundreds of pupils have benefited from this gesture. Dr Igbuzor was also a former Country Director of Action Aid Nigeria, a highly committed strategist and the brain behind several strategic plan documents of some state governments, MDAs and civil society organisations through which he contributed his quota to shape government policies and give directions to organisations and institutions in pursuit of development. Through his several initiatives and engagements, Dr Igbuzor has contributed to fighting poverty, unemployment and the reduction of hunger in Delta state, Nigeria and beyond.
But by far, the most reassuring thing done by these personalities from Delta State, Nigeria, as x-rayed in this edition, is the debate by experts concerning how these personalities can further use their contacts to encourage more investors to come into Nigeria and help bail the country out of its current economic doldrum. No doubt, this magazine editors believe that indeed, these men who have written their names in gold can still do more for the country. For these crops of globally recognised citizens from Delta State, Nigeria, it is indeed another thumbs up.