By Emeka Amaefula
MEET RIVERS STATE DEPUTY GOVERNOR –PROFESSOR NGOZI ODU–HER RISE TO POWER AS SECOND FEMALE DEPUTY GOVERNOR
The newly sworn-in Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Odu has been in the corridors of political power in Rivers state for so long since the dispensation of the 4th Republic in 1999 to date. She has been an academic with specialty in Microbiology and was born on 23rd of October, 1952 in the current Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers state. She got married to a Medical Doctor who passed on a few years ago. The couple gave birth to 4 girls and a male child all grown up and doing well in their chosen professions. She was a Senior Lecturer in Microbiology and Public Health in the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences in College of Natural and Applied sciences of University of Port Harcourt Rivers State. She studied for her first degree in Paisley College of Technology Renfrews Scotland for a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Microbiology. Her great academic excellence earned her two academic prizes for two consecutive years in 1977 and in 1978 while studying in Scotland. From there she received a Master’s Degree in Food Science and Management from University of London Queen Elizabeth College later she earned Doctoral Degree in Microbiology at the prestigious University of Port Harcourt, Rivers state. She attended several Courses including Leadership Course in John Hopkins University Baltimore, United States of America, USA.
Professor Ngozi Odu became prominent during the second term of Sir. Dr. Peter Odili when she rose to be Permanent Secretary in Rivers state Civil Service especially, she served with Rivers State Ministry of Health for six and half years from 1999 to 2006 which made her one of the longest serving Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health. Her dexterity and dedication to service was brought to bear in the ill-fated Sossoliso Plane crash of December 2005 that saw two persons as survivors. Thus, in January 2006 she was exalted with the political appointment of Commissioner for Ministry of Education where her performance in the human capital development brought about a lot of Rivers state youths gaining admissions into Foreign scholarships sponsored by Rivers state Government. From the undergraduate levels with over 400 being admitted into universities in Russia and Malaysia. The same Professor Ngozi Odu as Commissioner for education saw to the award of Post graduate Scholarship to 75 Rivers state citizens comprising men and women in the United States of America, United Kingdom and Europe. During her tenure she began the process of having schools being handed over to Missions like the Holy Rosary Girls College handed over to Catholic Church, Harbour Road Girls Secondary School handed to John Wesley Methodist and Stella Maris College also handed over to Catholic Church and several others.
In 2022 she was nominated as Deputy Governor to Siminialaye Joseph Fubara who on March 18th 2023 were elected as Executive Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers state. And on May, 29th 2023 they took Oath of Office at Yakubu Gowon Stadium Port Harcourt.
In the inaugural speech by His Excellency Sir Siminialaye Fubara, he pledged to improve the wellbeing of Rivers state citizens including the Christian fold and business community. Again, Primary Health care facilities in the state remain a major area of concentration in the administration of Sir. Siminialaye Fubara/Ngozi Odu.
HER RISE TO POLITICAL POWER
The much vibrant and intellectual minded Microbiology scholar Professor (Mrs.) Ngozi Nma Odu who hails from Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers state same LGA with her political godfather Sir Dr. Peter Odili who was an elected Governor of Rivers state from 1999 to 2007. For Professor Ngozi Odu her dedication, enthusiasm and penchant to dedication to work and compliance to ethics of her job, which will thus keep wondering on her style of rendering public service which is superb. While she came in almost at the end of the second tenure of Dr. Peter Odili, she rose to become Permanent Secretary under him and Sir Celestine Omehia who retained her as Commissioner For Education for about 5-Months.Married to Dr. Odu who in his illustrious medical career was one of the best Surgeons in Ear/Nose/Throat-ENT haven been employed by Rivers state Government. But his death years ago made Professor Ngozi Odi to take up appointment as Senior Lecturer in Microbiology with University of Port Harcourt immediately the October 25th, 2007 Supreme Court of Nigeria landmark Judgment that brought in Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as duly elected Governor of Rivers state. She also took up a Lecturing job with a private University established by Sir Dr. Odili-Pamo University of Medical Sciences-PUMS based at Port Harcourt Rivers state.
One thing that many will not forget in a hurry about Professor Ngozi Odu is her dexterity in improving Child health care in the period she served as Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Health. Thus, she brought many laurels for Rivers state in this direction so much so that Rivers state Government under Dr. Odili then remained number one in the national Healthcare performance indexes rating in Nigeria and in Word Health Organization institutions.
And her hardworking attributes in the rescue of Sossolisso Airplane Flight 1145 Flight Disaster victims that took place at Port Harcourt International Airport Omagwa on 10th of December 2005 where about 60 students of Jesuit Loyola College Abuja who were returning on vacation perished along with other top Rivers state politicians who were returning from National Convention of Peoples Democratic party-PDP which was held at Abuja. This convention was so much important to the then Rivers state Governor Peter Odili because it was a watershed to his declaration for his presidential bid in 2007 General elections. Professor Mrs. Ngozi Odu is a true woman of substance whose immense quality and services to humanity has been much described as excellent. She takes every responsibility assigned to her as a call to see how best she can contribute in making the society better for all.
And when her nomination as Deputy Governorship candidate came many political watchers in Rivers state believed it came from her political godfather former Dr. Peter Odili and being a good obedient Public Servant, she is taking over from her predecessor in office, Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Harry-Banigo who won election as Rivers West Senator-Elect. Also, she is a trained Medical Doctor with many years as Head of Service in Rivers State and a s Director General National Primary Healthcare Development Agency Abuja before her emergence as the first Female Deputy Governor of Rivers State.
For Prof. Mrs. Ngozi Odu her coming into Rivers state’s one of the highest political offices will be a good ground to coordinate placement of women in Rivers state Politics where all the 23 LGAs have females as Deputy Chairmen and as Councillorship positions with substantial number of women elected into the third tier of government in Rivers state. Being a rare gem who is hard working as she is expected to bring in her wealth of experience in making the Government of Sir Siminialaye Joseph Fubara a successful one in Nigeria especially now that he has been elected as Deputy Chairman of PDP Governors’ forum.
To the lady of the moment, Professor (Mrs.) Ngozi Odu politics is not new but her own terrain of providing comfort in the service of her good people of Rivers State which she is well groomed to offering her best quota of service as the years go by with promising chances of emerging top one day as first female Governor of Nigeria in years to come.
—————–Emeka Amaefula————(+234(0)8111813069
