EXCITEMENT AS OKUBOR, CHIEF STRATEGIST TO GOVERNOR OKOWA GRADUATES WITH FIRST CLASS HONOURS IN MUSIC FROM DELSU
By Jerome-Mario Utomi
Family members, Friends and political associates of Dr Festus Okubor, Chief Strategist to the Delta State Governor, on Saturday April 29, 3023, converged at the convocation ground of the Delta state University, Abraka, Delta State, to felicitate with him as he bagged First Class Degree in Music.
Okubor, the Chief Strategist to Governor Okowa, was among the 58 first class graduands that were honoured at the institution’s 15th Convocation ceremony.
The ceremony also witnessed the presentation of Award/ Prizes in different Categories amongst 3,843 First Degree graduands, 596 Postgraduate Degrees graduands and 416 Diploma graduands.
Ika Weekly Newspaper had earlier in January 2023, reported that the Medical Doctor turned Music student will be among the graduating students at the institutions 15th Convocation ceremony.
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Making the feat remarkable and worthy of emulation particularly by the youths is the awareness that his choice of registering for Joint Admission and Matriculation Examination (JAMB), to Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka to study music came after several other accomplishments and 40yrs after graduating as a medical doctor from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Okubor, who hails from Ika, Ute Erumu precisely, is married and blessed with children. He schooled in Agbor at Nigerian Baptist Convention and Igumbor Otiku respectively. From there, he went to Edo College in 1972. He studied medicine at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and graduated in 1983 and did his housemanship at UBTH before enlisting for the compulsory National Youth Service Programme which he participated in, in Borno State, precisely in Biu.
Okubor, who spoke with Ika Weekly Newspaper in a recent interview among other remarks, gave insight to his professional background.
In his words, “I worked in couple of hospitals, including Royal Hospital in Agbor. I went back to Biu and started my first practice.
“At some point, I decided to relocate to Lagos. After joining the first insurance programme in Nigeria, I had the singular honour to present the paper of healthcare financing at the first National Health Summit where health insurance was fully adopted as the way forward for healthcare financing, he said.
Continuing, he added; “I did meet with a couple of interesting personalities including Chief MKO Abiola, who did indicate that health insurance was the solution to solve the health care financing challenge of the country.
“That necessarily drew me close to him and to lots of other political actors. I was close to him when he won the election and the crisis that followed. From there, I got sucked into politics.
“I and some others then moved to Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM) where I became the National Publicity Secretary.
“After Abacha’s death and passage, we formed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and that is how I got into politics,” he concluded.
Present at the ceremony were His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, ably represented by Dr. Kingsley Ashibuogwu, Commissioner for Higher Education. Prof. Andy O. Egwunyenga, Vice Chancellor, Delta state University, and Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, Pro-Chancellor/ Chairman of Governing Council, Delta State University.
Others in attendance were Hon. Charles Emetulu, Delta State House of Assembly Member, representing Ndokwa West Local Government. Prof. Mrs. Rosemary N. Okoh (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration/Chairman, Convocation Committee, Prof. Ochuko Anomohanran (Dep. Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Mrs. Rufina U. Ufiofio (Registrar), Prof. Elo Ibagere (Provost, Oleh Campus), Mrs. Otimeyin Omajuwa-Ekakitie (Bursar), Prof. Stephen O. Uwaifo (Librarian), Prof. Ebele Joyce Egwunyenga (Director of Centre for Gender Studies and Development), Royal fathers, Spiritual fathers and many others.
On behalf of the Publisher, management, and staff of Ika Weekly Newspaper, we congratulate Dr Festus Okubor, and wish him well in his future endeavours.