CHIEF IKIOGHA: PROFILE OF A POLITICAL COLOSSUS AND SERVANT-LEADER

Born in 1960 to hardworking and disciplined parents, Late Elder David and Mrs. Gunn Ikiogha in Kpansia-Epie, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Byelsa State, Chief Ikiogha, a destiny child, grew up with the virtuous of industry and dedication.

Ikiogha, DBI for short is married, with children.
He began educational career at St. Mathias Primary School, Amarata-Epie in Yenagoa in 1969 and passed out in flying colours in 1973, after the Nigerian-Biafran civil war, which nearly stopped the career.

Thereafter, he proceeded to BIshop Dimeari Grammar School in 1974 and passed out in 1978, with good results in the West African School Certificated Examination. He was Sanitary Prefect in his days, at the famous school. Till date, he holds hygiene and cleanliness as necessary part of personal and organisational life.

Soon after his secondary school career, he got employed in the Ministry of Local Government in the then Rivers State, from where he got groomed for higher administrative positions in the public service.

In 1983, Chief Ikiogha gained admission into University of Port Harcourt and graduated in 1987, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Chemistry. He later enrolled for a Postgraduate Diploma in Petroleum Engineering Technology, in the same university.

On graduation, he did the National Youths Service at a cement factory in Sokoto. Soon after, he returned to the then Rivers State Civil Service, where he served as Scientific Officer in Petroleum and Pollution Bureau of the then Rivers State Governor's Office. His excellent performance on the job, earned him many positions in the Rivers State Civil Service. They are Field Project Coordinator of Gas Flares, Personal Assistant to the Special Adviser on Environment and Pollution Matters, Secretary Task Force on Petroleum Distribution and member National Committee on Oloibiri Meseum, among others.

On creation of Bayelsa State in 1996, Chief Ikiogha's past experience earned him more responsibilities. He was appointed member of Local Government Assets Sharing Commitee in Bayelsa State, member Committee on Compensation for crude oil pollution, Acting Director and Head Petroleum and Pollution Bureau and member Federal Lands Allocation Committee.

Others are member Task Force on Procurement of Petroleum Products, member as well as Secretary Community Relations Committee (CRC), a committee set up to mediate between oil companies and host communities, member Skills Acquisition programme Implementation Committee and Deputy Director, Water Board.

In all the positions, Chief Diekivie Bovie Ikiogha exuded unparalleled dedication and leadership prowess. This accounts for why his admirers wish him greater heights, for the benefit of Epie/Atissa, Yenagoa Local Government Area, Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency, Bayelsa State, Nigeria and humanity in general.

No doubt, his career success was also made possible by the various administrative courses he underwent in order to enhance service delivery during his career in the Civil Service. Amongs them are management courses at the Administrative Staff College (ASCON), Lagos and National Centre for Economic Management and Administration (NACEMA), Ibadan.

While reaching the peak of the civil service career, he humbly bowed to clamour from his people, to contest election. Chief Ikiogha therefore, ventured into politics and contested for Yenagoa Local Government Council's Chairmanship seat in 1993, under the platform of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC). However, the transition was botched by the Late General Sani Abacha's coup.

Unperturbed, Chief Bovie Ikiogha returned to active politics, following his appointment as Special Adviser on Oil and Gas, by the then Governor of Bayelsa State, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, now President of Nigeria. The choice was due to Dr. Jonathan's personal knowledge of Chief Ikiogha's abilities in Rivers State, where he first worked. As a professional adviser to Governor Jonathan then, Ikiogha brought his experience to bear in the offering of workable solutions that repositioned the sector. His innovations on the position also set the pace for a full fledged ministry that was to come in the subsequent regime of former Governor Timipre Sylva.

As fate would have it, Ikiogha the pacesetter, was appointed by former Governor Sylva, as the pioneer Commissioner of Energy from 2007 to 2008. Haven prepared template for the new Ministry, the innovative and pragmatic commissioner, provided administrative framework, policies and programmes. As a result the ministry quickly got a solid footing and delivered on its mandate.

He later became Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources in the Bayelsa State Executive Council from 2007 to 2008 in the same administration. During his tenure, laudable programmes were implemented for the real farmers instead of briefcase carrying farmers, despite opposition from the non-practicing farmers.

Ikiogha, the staunch Peoples Democratic Party politician and mobiliser, founded and chaired the New Nigeria Initiative for Development (NNID) in 2011. The organisation supported Dr. Goodluck Jonathan's 2011 presidential election campaigns till victory.

That wasn't the end for the astute administrator. Chief Diekivie Bovie Ikiogha, a die-hard pioneer member and supporter of the Dickson Restoration Team, mustered courage as well as made personal commitments until Governor Dickson's administration was enthroned in 2012. Little wonder that he became the Chief of Staff to Governor Henry Seriake Dickson in February, 2012. He handled the position effectively till June, 2013, when he was transferred to the upgraded Bayelsa House, Abuja, still, as Chief of Staff.

The transfer was borne out of the Governor's confidence, that Chief Ikiogha has the administrative and political experience to effectively coordinate the onerous activities of the Bayelsa State Government Office in Abuja.

Soon after assuming office, Chief Ikiogha, implemented the Governor's directive, by acquiring, upgrading and equipping a splendid office in Abuja.

When Chief Ikiogha was Chief of Staff in Government House, Yenagoa, he collaborated with other principal officers to reposition the system for better service delivery to the people of the State.

Not only that, he created a media and public relations unit in the Chief of Staff's office in Yenagoa, about the first time, to enhance communication and relationship management in line with his personal character of humility and accessibility. With the relationship management strategy, stakeholders had better access to government unlike in the past.

Recently, Chief Ikiogha, emerged as the Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman of a new Non-Government Organisation (NGO), known as International Index of Nigeria (IIN), a group, out to assess and document the performance of Federal Government, using realistic indices to counter negative perceptions weeped up by opponents of the Jonathan Government.

Back home, Chief Diekive Bovie Ikiogha, who is a custodian of the Epie people's culture, holds the title of Otolomo-Ibe 1 of Epie-Kingdom, conferred on him at younger age by the Late King (Obenibe) Charles. B. Agulata, as reward for early contributions to the development of the Kingdom.

As a Christian, Chief Ikiogha quietly shows kindness to the needy, and is committed to doing more. This is one character that endears him most, to numerous admirers.

The Epie-born farmer, scientist, environmentalist, educationist, enterpreneur, administrator and politician, unarguably is a hard working, resilient, selfless and pragmatic leader. Indeed, he is a Bayelsan and Nigerian to behold, just as he promises more services to humanity.

This, Chief Diekivie Bovie Ikiogha believes, could be done further, with his personal resources and public office, as he has been doing, just as the best according to him, is yet to come, giving the peoples' mandate to represent them at the House of Representatives in Abuja, come 2015.

By Etete Enideneze, arpa, aimim, gnipr
Head, Media/Political Communication
of Ikiogha's Campaigns

Disclaimer: "The views expressed on this site are those of the contributors or columnists, and do not necessarily reflect TheNigerianVoice’s position. TheNigerianVoice will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements in the contributions or columns here."

Articles by Etete Enideneze