Ogbonnaya Onu
| Ogbonnaya Onu | |
|---|---|
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| Minister of Science and Technology of the Federal Republic of Nigeria | |
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Assumed office 11 November 2015 |
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| President | Muhammadu Buhari |
| 1st Governor of Abia State | |
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In office 1992–1993 |
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| Preceded by | Frank Ajobena (military administrator) |
| Succeeded by | Chinyere Ike Nwosu (military administrator) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 December 1951 Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, Nigeria |
| Political party | All Progressives Congress |
| Website | [1] |
Ogbonnaya Onu (born 1 December 1951) is presently the Minister of Science and Technology of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was the first Executive Governor of Abia State, Nigeria from February 1992 to December 1993. He was the National Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)., until its merger with other Nigerian opposition political parties which resulted in the registration of the All Progressives Congress on July 31, 2013.
Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu was born on December 1, 1951, to the family of His Royal Highness, Late Eze David Aba Onu, Eze Adu of Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State in Nigeria.
He obtained Grade One with Distinction in his West African School Certificate (WASC) examination at Izzi High School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Dr. Onu also obtained Distinction in Physics and Chemistry at the Higher School Certificate (HSC) examination at the College of Immaculate Conception, (CIC), Enugu, graduating as the best overall student. By 1976, he graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Lagos. He later obtained his Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Chemical Engineering (without passing through a master's degree) at the reputable University of California, Berkeley, California, USA, in 1980, where he did extensive work on coal liquefaction and production of synthetic fuels under mild conditions. He showed that it was possible under relatively mild conditions to produce synthetic fuels comparable with crude oil.
While in the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Onu was the President of the African Students Union; Member, Graduate Assembly of the University of California, Berkeley and also the President of the Nigerian Association of Northern California, Inc. At a time when many Nigerians who studied in the United States of America found it difficult to return home, Dr. Onu, out of love of country returned to his fatherland and took up appointment as a Lecturer at the University of Port – Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State. He later served as President General of his alma-mater, Izzi High School, Abakaliki, Old Boys Association.
Coming out of higher school, Dr. Onu taught at St. Augustine’s Seminary, Ezzamgbo, Ebonyi State. Today, many of his students have been ordained as Priests of the Catholic Church. After completing his doctoral studies in the USA, he returned to Nigeria at the time when many others in his situation preferred to stay back. At the University of Port – Harcourt, when the Department of Chemical Engineering was newly established, an expatriate Professor of Chemical Engineering who was hired to start the Department left Nigeria suddenly. The responsibility of nurturing the young but important Department of Chemical Engineering in the oil and gas rich City of Port – Harcourt fell on Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu. As the pioneer Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, he worked very hard and helped to nurture the Department from scratch to a position of repute. On several occasions, he served as Acting Dean of the University’s Faculty of Engineering and was also elected as a Member of the Governing Council of the University. He served a full term of four years as a Member of Council of the University where he worked with others to provide leadership to the University in its search for excellence.
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