10 Things to Know About Former Minister Ogbonnaya Onu

Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, a prominent Nigerian politician, author, and engineer, passed away at the age of 72. He served as the first civilian governor of Abia State and later as the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration from November 2015 until his resignation in 2022. Onu was also a presidential flag bearer for the All Progressive Congress (APC) during the 2023 general election, although he lost to President Bola Tinubu. He passed away after a brief illness in an undisclosed hospital in Nigeria.

As a former minister under President Buhari and a key figure in Nigerian politics, his passing has been acknowledged and mourned by many, including the APC, who recognized his contributions towards the formation of the party in 2013. His legacy as a leader and a figure in Nigerian politics will be remembered by many.

Here are 10 things to know about the late former Minister Ogbonnaya Onu:

1. Ogbonnaya Onu was born on December 1, 1951, to the family of Eze David Aba Onu in Amata, Uburu, in the present-day Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
2. He graduated from the University of Lagos with a first-class degree in chemical engineering in 1976.
3. Onu pursued his doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree in chemical engineering in 1980.
4. After completing his doctoral studies, he became a lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Port Harcourt, where he later served as the pioneer head of the department.
5. In 1991, he contested for the position of Governor of Abia State on the platform of the National Republican Convention and won, becoming the first executive governor of the state in January 1992.
6. During his tenure as Governor, he emphasized the use of technology as an instrument for national development, starting processes for establishing a Technology Village and introducing computers into selected public schools.
7. Onu abolished the State of Origin Syndrome in Abia State, appointing non-indigenes to top positions of responsibility in his administration.
8. In 1999, he was the presidential flag bearer for the All People’s Party but relinquished the position to Olu Falae after a merger of his party with the Alliance for Democracy.
9. He became the national party chairman of the All Nigerian People’s Party in 2010.
10. Onu resigned from President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet in 2022 to contest in the presidential primary election of the All Progressive Congress (APC).