Born on the 10th day of April, 1958 in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru was born paternally to the Ogboru dynasty of Abraka, in Ethiope- East Local Government Area and maternally to the
Okolocha family of Umukwata of Anioma in Ukwani Local Government Area of Delta State. The young Great Ogboru attended the Municipal Primary School, Port-Harcourt, CMS Primary School, Abraka and LA (now Oharisi Primary School School) Ughelli for his primary education. He then proceeded to the famous Government College Ughelli and rounded off his secondary education in 1975. Due to his excellent feat at Government College, he was drafted to teach at the Ovwodo-awanre Primary School, Ughelli, where he meritoriously discharged his duties for four years, while studying for his A' Levels exams, which he passed in flying colours.
Business Life!!
Though the Great Ovedje Ogboru would have loved to further his education immediately, he was moved by the financial burden it would impose on his low-income Civil servant father, who had 16 children to cater for. He therefore suspended his quest for higher education and forayed into the world of business. Thus with a small bag containing four shirts and three trousers, he left for the commercial city of Lagos, a journey which became a turning point in his life, family and those who had close contacts with him.
On arrival in Lagos, he started work as a marketing Officer in Exchange Fisheries, a small fishing Company, where he learnt the rudiments of the fishery business. To enhance his role in marketing, the Great Ogboru studied and enrolled into the Chartered Institute of Marketing, London.
At age 25, the young Ogboru left salaried employment and floated his own business in 1983 by establishing Fiogret Limited, a frozen fish trading company, which flourished due to God's grace and hard work into a global fishing conglomerate, obtaining fishing licenses all over the world. After three years of this feat, Fiogret Limited has expanded beyond leaps and bounds, giving birth to many thriving and successful subsidiaries such as:
1. Grato Ltd: A renowned furniture production company;
2. GLE Finance: A Bureau De Change Operating Company;
3. Sofimar Fisheries; A United State 5million Dollar capitalized asset base joint venture with the former Soviet Union Republic;
4. Abraka Rubber Industries;
5. Ajalomi Shipping Company;
6. West Coast Publicity Company;
7. Fiogret Express
The Great Ogboru through these successful businesses created massive and hundreds of jobs for Deltans, Nigerians and foreigners from all walks of life and became a house-hold name in corporate global affairs and was rated as one of the youngest and richest business mogul and billionaire of the time, which he displayed on the 10th day of August 1989, when he became the youngest and highest Nigerian donor to the Namibia Solidarity Fund in aid of that country, which was passing through difficulties at the time.
Self Exile And Opposition to Millitary Rule
The Great Ovedje Ogboru believes strongly that the Military must confine itself to the protection of the integrity and Sovereignty of the nation state and must not impose itself on the people. Fueled by this passion, he deployed all his legal means and voice in opposition to military rule, tyranny and dictatorship in Nigeria, a position that earned him the hatred of the military and the allegations by President Ibrahim Babaginda, that he provided funding and logistics in aid of the Major Gideon Orkar Coup of 1990, which led him to a 10 year self-exile to the UK from 23rd April 1990-30th June, 2000. While in exile, he joined the Nigeria Policy Group (NPG), which was among the vocal groups, that funded and coordinated strategies and struggles for return of Nigeria from Military rule to Democracy.
Further Education
Taking advantage of his self-exile in the UK, the Great Ogboru attended the Huron University of South Dakota, London Campus, University of Kent, Canterbury culminating in a Masters Degree in Business Administration and International Relations respectively.
Family Life/Religion
Chief Great Ogboru, a Christian is happily married to his heart throb Ebi Stella Ogboru, an ijaw lady and the marriage is blessed with four Children.
Philanthrophy
Chief Great Ogboru is a philanthropist par excellence as he has contributed and still contributes to the upliftment of life for the down trodden of Society, through offering of scholarships, provision of jobs through his plethora of businesses, donations to worthy courses etc. He was undeniably the highest Nigerian donor to the Namibian Solidarity Fund, that was floated in Nigeria, to support that country in times of their great need.
Political Journey
Upon return from exile in 2000, he felt distressed by the quality of governance that was being offered to his people of Delta State, considering the huge resources at its disposal, the Great Ogboru contested as Governor under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 2003. His foray into the political scene generated a great sense of happiness for the masses, who trooped out enmasse to support his candidature. The results is believed in many quarters, did not represent the wishes of the Deltans Voters, as the PDP deployed all tactics of coercion and armed with Federal might in manipulating the electoral processes. This same feat was repeated in 2007, 2011 and 2015 general elections.
The Great Ogboru being driven by a passion for service is undeterred by the setbacks of the past, as he is determined to actualize his dream of providing qualitative governance to the good people of Delta State and setting a standard for good governance in the State; this is the force behind his consistency.
As providence would have it, the Great Ogboru is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State come 2019. It is hope that Deltans would seize the moment to uproot the government of mediocrity which has been foisted on them.
Tribal Affiliations
Though the Great Ogboru is an Urhobo man, he is a de-tribalized Deltan and Nigeria. He is the only Deltan among the contestants for Governorship in 2019, that has blooded affinities with the three Senatorial Districts of Delta State. His father being an Urhobo, his mother an Ukwani of Delta North and his wife an Ijaw of Delta South. This he promises to reflect to unify Deltans in the task of uplifting the lots of the People!!
Have U got Your PVC? Your PVC is Your Right, Protect it and Use it Wisely! Delta Shall be Great Again.!
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