How Dr. SAMUEL OGBUKU Became NDDC Boss

• What No One Will Tell You About Him

From the trenches of Niger Delta region come Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, a young vibrant man whose life trajectory you may not easily interprete. First, he buried his head in acquiring higher education with hope to use the advanced knowledge in the development of Niger Delta region instead of carrying destructive weapons.

For him, his parents hail from the sleepy mangrove forests town if Ayakoro in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He was born on August 19,1975. His zeal and quest to acquire Western education is unimaginable as he attended  Christ the King School, Oromenike in D/Line axis of the city of Port Harcourt Rivers State and in 1987 he obtained First School Leaving Certificate-FSLC. Being a Port Harcourt brought up child, he went further to Government Secondary School Borokiri located at the upper Old Township of Port Harcourt where he came out in flying colours having sat for West African School Certificate Examination… popularly known as Senior Secondary Certificate,SSCE in 1993.

Armed with excellent results in Ordinary Level General Certificate of Education…he proceeded to the unique University of Port Harcourt, Choba Rivers State where he obtained Bachelor’s degree in Political and Administrative Studies in 2000.

With the focus for more knowledge driven future, he enrolled for Post Graduate Diploma in Sociology, Industrial Relations and Personnel Management in 2002. Samuel Ogbuku returned to obtain Masters of Science degree in Political and Administrative Studies specializing in Development Studies in 2013. His doctoral degree studies in University of Port Harcourt Choba Rivers State was completed in 2021 focusing on the same causes.

For those who know the political terrain of Niger Delta, politics and agitation for resource control in Niger Delta has become a daily occurrence in the region and young Samuel Ogbuku has been at the inner core group of Ijaw Youth Congress an umbrella body of several youth organizations from Izon ethnicity in South- South Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria. Here his passion, self motivation and purposeful driven leadership attributes manifested.

In 2007, he emerged as Chief of Staff Personal to the then Governor Timpre Sylva from 2007-2012. His love for Mechanized Farm took him to establish fulfilled Farm  Limited where he was Managing Director between 2012-2019. When Chief Timpre Sylva was appointed Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, he was his Personal Assistant P.A. At the end  he was appointed Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs to distinguished Senator Obarisi Ovie Omo -Agege who was Deputy President Nigerian Senate.

Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, is not an ordinary citizen of Ayakoro town but he sits as Deputy Traditional Ruler of Ayakoro ancient kingdom in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

One thing that is common with this astute administrator is his dress sense and communal nature in running his office as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer CEO Niger Delta Development Commission-NDDC is the fact that he dresses simple and cute. Not your regular wearer of English tailored suits and designer fabrics. This goes a long way to portray his Grass Roots background in the Niger Delta region of Southern Nigeria.

When he was asked by  journalists about his simple design dress code which he wears to the office he has this to say “ Is it the dress I wear that defines me or what I do? The office does not make me, I make the office what it should be. So, I have chosen to keep it simple. Period.”

Before his assumption of office, NDDC headquarters Port Harcourt at every week became a market place for various groups of protesters. Most of the agitating members of the public sometimes sleep over at the entrance of the building at Port Harcourt Rivers State. But since he took over the administration of the Commission there’s been no single protest at the Eastern Bye-Pass location of NDDC Headquarters in Port Harcourt. And he has this statement to justify why this happened” Come to think of it, since we come on board, have you seen or heard of anybody coming here to our office with placards in the name of protest s? I am not sure it will ever happen, for as long as I am here. I have been an activist. I have been part of the Niger Delta struggle. There is nothing that pains than to get snubbed. I am not sure people will have the need to fight bicker and protest if they feel that those of us in authority treat people with respect, there will be peace in the work environment and that way, service delivery becomes easier.” A visit to his office on designated visitors’ days will convince you about the type of administrator. Dr. Samuel Ogbuku is. Over 400 visitors usually visit him at his office and majority of them are ordinary people who believe that if they meet him that their lives will change positively. No wonder, he was positioned to become All Progressive Congress-APC governorship candidate until his political godfather Chief Timpre Sylva showed interest and took over the mantle and emerged APC governorship candidate in the 11th of November, 2023  governorship election in Bayelsa State.

The shuffling of political administrative officers at NDDC recently showed that Dr. Samuel Ogbuku survived them all. The reason why he survived may not be unconnected with his avowed relationship with Chief Timpre Sylva and Ovie Omo-Agege former Deputy of the Senate.

-Emeka Amaefula

+234(9)8111813069