Rising Through Crucibles
The man, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Theophilus Erishi Nwifuru, the former Honourable Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly and now, the 4th democratically elected Governor of Ebonyi State, can be likened to the biblical mustard seed, which according to Jesus Christ, is the smallest of seeds, yet when it grows, is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come to perch on its branches.
From the very scratch, his growth was a tough spell, transiting through the crucibles of life, right from the cradle of his birth. Like every other human creature, Ogbonna took no liberty of himself to come into the world. Out of the Divine providence of the Almighty God, he came into the renowned family of Chief Ezekiel Nwifuru Nwamkpu of Oferekpe Agbaja, in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. It was a glorious day, February 25, 1975 – a unique polygamous home, one which ordinarily foreclosed the possibility of his rise above his peers.
Early Days and Education
A chick that would grow into adulthood, begins early to show identical spots. Quality Education is never received effortlessly but achieved through purposeful hard work and commitment. So, while many of his peers were still enjoying the freedom to play around in the village, little Ogbonna enrolled in Oferekpe Agbaja Community School in the year 1991. His continued persistence in acquisition of knowledge took him to Community Secondary School, Nwofe Agbaja in the year 1999.
These educational activities weren’t smooth sailing. For a fact, he attended school only at intervals and joined his brothers in rearing their father’s numerous cattle. However, his mother played significant roles in ensuring that his son acquired what was the needed Western education, in defiance of stringent circumstances. Christopher Chesterfield once stated, “Whatever is worth doing, is worth doing well”. By May/June 2004, he wrapped up his secondary school education in pure brilliance, amidst turbulent waters.
Upon concluding his post-primary education, Ogbonna now christened ‘Francis’, having received Baptism – the sacrament of initiation as a Catholic, began a new lease of life. By that time, he had left his biological parents, in search of what was for him, a destiny to be fulfilled through absolute and intentional hard work.
At such tender time, Francis was already a workaholic personality. In other to dislodge an idle mind and engage himself in purposeful learning, he took up a menial job which was considered to be above his age, ‘a mason’. He would work in the rain and under the sun all day long, mixing concrete, water, sand and cement and carrying same to serve his masters. A hardworking boy, he was focused and laced with humility and simplicity. A close friend of Francis revealed that he not only had the knack for the mason job, but as well, the flexibility and disposition for any other sort of job that comes around on a given day. According to him, every day, Francis would come out to join his masters’ lorry to work as a conductor, but carry along as well, his equipment for the mason work. So, if he does not get a good turn with the lorry shifts, he switches immediately to getting construction work. With Francis, there was little or no time for chitchatting and whiling away.
In furtherance of his love for building construction and innate devotion to learning and improving himself the more, he enrolled in Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, to study Building Technology and Woodwork. He has since become a reference person in building technology and woodwork through his excellence and deftness in the field. The same burning zeal to be the best spurred him to go in for a second degree in Law at Ebonyi State University. This degree has been signed off in style, coming out in the year 2022 with Summa Cum Laude in Law. It has since become evident, that his knowledge of legal twists is absolutely phenomenal. What a fine steel in the making! Being a lover of quality education, he squeezed quality time out of his busy schedule and bagged a Master’s Degree in Procurement, Logistics, and Supply Chain Management from the prestigious Salford University, Manchester, United Kingdom in June 2021.
Foray Into Politics
The world of humanity, they say, is based on full freedom and the absence of any forcible destiny, hence, man creates his own destiny. Fortune favours the brave. Knowing fully well that being a mason could not guarantee his envisaged bright future, young brave Francis made a foray into partisan politics, under the assured auspices of the very revered Chief (Hon.) Boniface U. Ofoke – who believes in teaching his beloved Francis how to fish instead of giving him fish.
His desire to represent his people is admirable. His first shot at the game was an interest to represent his people, as a Member of Ebonyi State House of Assembly in the year 2007. Though unsuccessful, his effortless stride earned him an appointment as an Ex-Officio State Executive Member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ebonyi State. He bore the failure stoically with Spartan courage and was not intimidated from reaching his goals.
In March 2011, he took a second shot, and what a marvellous shot it was! He bounced back with a landslide victory, earning the unanimous mandate of representing his good people of Izzi West State Constituency at Ebonyi State House of Assembly, to the glory of God. In that same tenure, he became the Deputy Chief Whip cum Chairman House Committee on Lands, Survey, Urban Development and Environment – a feat thoroughly deserved.
Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru did exceptionally well, that his people entrusted their fate into his hands again in the year 2015. This time, he did not only emerge as their representative at the State House of Assembly but was equally elected by his peers as the 5th Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly. The Hallowed Chamber became the best in productivity and peaceful Legislation, an achievement that earned him the only Member to have returned as a two-time Speaker in the Legislative history of Ebonyi State. So he was the Honourable Speaker of the 6th Ebonyi State House of Assembly (2019 – 2023).
As the leader of the Legislative Arm of the Government of Ebonyi State, he demonstrated unprecedented leadership qualities, made manifest in the consistent smooth and harmonious working relationship with the Executive and Judicial Arms of Government. His dedication to duty and his ability to coordinate his Colleagues to undertake their Legislative functions have provided the Governor, with the enabling environment to achieve the feats that are being celebrated in Ebonyi State today. Such dexterity to duty, excellence in leadership and lawmaking, saw him elected by his Colleagues – Conference of Speakers, in the year 2020, as the Chairman South East Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria; a national recognition worthy of praise!
The Reward For Good Work…
…they say, is more work. Having attested to his credibility and finesse in leadership and service, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru was elected as the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State and sworn in on May 29, 2023. It was truly, a unanimous statement by the people of Ebonyi State, under the ruling All Progressive Congress party. Little wonder he was endorsed by the Traditional Institution in the State and many other Stakeholders. He is a golden fish, one which cannot be hidden.
Family Life
There is no prestige whatsoever for a king who has no queen. Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru is married to a helpful and reliable woman of virtue and substance, Her Excellency, Chief Mrs. Uzoamaka Mary-Maudline Nwifuru. They are blessed with five lovely children. In his immediate household, he is a shining example of a loving, caring and kind father. He is a Christian who undertook all the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation and Marriage according to the Catholic doctrine.
In Wrapping Up
Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has scaled through virtually all hurdles of life, coming out unscathed. From the miry clay, God set his feet on a solid rock. His journey to becoming a man typified sufferings and strains. But like the aphorism from the 19th Century German Philosopher, Fredrick Nietzsche, ‘what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.’ Indeed, he has been readied by nature, for leadership services.
Yes, he was a mason, a lorry conductor, a pure go-getter on the streets from the poorest of the poor. That is why he connects easily to the plights and concerns of the ordinary Ebonyian. He knows the pains of his people because he has felt them too. He knows his roots and he is ever proud of where he comes from. His passion is to lift Ebonyians out of poverty and offer them practical and sustainable hope for a better tomorrow.
Importantly, he has a huge belt on him, earned meritoriously and fastened through his sixteen (16) years of practical leadership experience, within and outside the shores of the State. He is truly, a square peg in a square hole. Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru is delivering dividends of good leadership in Ebonyi State, according to the NEEDS of the people.
