Professor Benard Ifeanyi Odoh, APGA Governorship Candidate Biography

Benard Odoh was born on 5th August 1975 in Ondo city, Ondo State, Nigeria, to Mr. & Mrs. Joseph (late) and Maria Odoh. Both of whom were Christians. He comes from Omege Umuezeokoha in Ezza North L.G.A of Ebonyi State.

Career

Professor Benard Ifeanyi Odoh was the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Ebonyi State, appointed on 29th May 2015 and voluntarily resigned in April 2018 based on principled objection to the negative direction of several fundamental policies of the government.

Benard had been involved in partisan politics in 2015,  when he contested for the Senatorial seat for Ebonyi Central Senatorial District and also in 2019 when he contested the gubernatorial election in Ebonyi State.

In each case he was challenged with violent incumbencies and high-scale sabotage. Those experiences have not only elevated his political stature in the state but have served to sharpen his mobilization, coalition-building, and outreach capabilities.

Benard is courageously presenting himself to serve in the capacity of Governor of Ebonyi State in 2023 under the umbrella of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), confident in the potency of the political groundwork he has built in the past 7 years.

Education

Benard received his SSCE from the Special Science School, Igbeagu, Ebonyi State, in 1994. Afterwards, he went to the prestigious Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Awka, where in 1999, he obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Geological Sciences, attaining Upper Second Class with honours.

 He remained in the same institution to pursue his postgraduate studies, obtaining a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in Applied Geophysics (2006) and a Ph.D. in Applied Geophysics in 2008. Ben enlisted into the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in the 2000/2001 cycle and undertook his primary assignment with Pipeline Oil Field Services, Port Harcourt.

After he finished, he was recruited as a Lecturer by Ebonyi State University (EBSU) where he remained from 2002-2009. While he was engaged in his routine teaching duties at EBSU, he was also undertaking his Research Scholar Programme with SEG, Oklahoma, USA from 2006 to 2008.

In 2009, Ben transferred his academic services to his alma mater, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, where he remained until recently. He was then employed by the Federal University Gusau and taught there from 2014-2015.

With over 75 scholarly publications, more than 80 conference papers and technical reports and several authored and co-authored books in collaboration with renowned academic luminaries. Ben is a renowned and prolific scholar, attaining professorship in April 2014 at the age of 38.

Ben is a business owner and Chairman/member of Board of LMU Infrastructure Company Limited, Linabeca Consulting Company and LMU Concrete & Blocks. He is also a Trustee of PurpleHands Initiatives, Canada as well as PurpleHands Empowerment Initiatives, Abuja.

He was part of the following international consultancies and fellowships: Water for Life, New York, USA; China-African Think-Tanks, Beijing, China; SEG near Surface Geophysics, Vancouver, Canada; SEG Hydro geophysics, Nevada, USA; The World Bank, Washington DC, USA; UNICEF, New York; AAPG, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Canada Workplace Safety and Health, Toronto, Canada; London Agriculture show, London, UK and Indian Business Conclave, New Delhi, India.

In addition to the above, he was appointed as a delegate to Higher Education Administration Seminar for Anglophone African Countries in three major provinces of China (19th October and 7th November, 2013) under the sponsorship of the Chinese Ministry of Education as well as technical team member of the voluntary visitors, Leadership Program for Newly appointed Nigerian Vice Chancellors to the United States of America Department of State in collaboration with National Universities Commission-NUC (13-23rd October, 2010).

Ben is a member of several professional bodies, including:

• Society of Exploration Geophysics, Oklahoma, USA

• American Association of Petroleum Geologists

• Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists

• Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society

He equally has the following scholarly and merit awards to his credit:

• TETFUND 2012 Research Grant for investigating Geological and Geochemical origin of Okposi-Uburu Salt Lakes, Ebonyi State

• Awardee, Society of Exploration Geophysics/ TGS Field Camp Project of merit grant in support of the project titled: “Investigation of Toxic Waste Sites and Buried Fuel Tanks Using Spontaneous Potential Method” – 2009

• Awardee, Society of Exploration Geophysics project of merit for 2007 and 2008

• 2004/2005 Veritas DGS/Ashbert NAPE best PG Research Work (for M.Sc.) in Geophysics

•  2005/2006 NAPE/ Austin Avuru best Postgraduate Research Work in Applied Geophysics.

Ben, a trusted and reliable community leader, has initiated a lot of community projects including free medical outreach, N80 million Church building project, scholarship awards to many indigent students to study both locally and overseas.

Prof. Odoh was born on the 5th day of August, 1975, to the family of late Chief and Lolo Joseph Odoh Nwefuru of Umuezeokoha in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. He is married to Juliana and their union produced two adorable children.

Awards

• Odoh was awarded the 2005/2006 NAPE/Austin Avuru Best Postgraduate Research Award in Applied Geophysics
• Odoh was awarded the Veritas-DGC/ Ashbert NAPE Grant Award for M.Sc. Research Work in Geophysics, 2004/2005

Appointments and Public Positions Occupied

• Odoh was appointed Secretary to Ebonyi State Government between May 2015 and April 2018
• Chairman CBN Anchor-Borrowers Program to boost rice production in Nigeria, 2016
• Visiting Professor to Federal University Gusau, July 2014.
• External examiner for postgraduate examination, University of Western Cape, South Africa; May 2014 and 2015.
• During his tenure as the Secretary to Ebonyi State Government, Odohwas chairman of the Drafting Committee for Ebonyi Industrial Master Plan, 2016, Chairman, State Government EXCO Committee on Sustainable Clean Metropolis, 2016, Chairman, State Government EXCO Committee on State Asset Evaluation, 2017.

He has also served as a delegate to 3rd meeting of the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum and the launching ceremony of the China-Africa Think Tanks 10+10 Partnership Plan in Beijing China, 16th & 18th October 2013, delegate in the Higher Education Administration seminar for Anglophone African Countries in three major provinces of China 19th October and 7th November 2013 sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Education, technical team member of the voluntary visitors-Leadership Programme for Newly- Appointed Nigerian Vice-Chancellors to the United States of America; organized by the US Department of State in Collaboration with National Universities Commission (NUC), 13-23rd October 2010.

He was chairman/member of Board of LMU Infrastructure CO. LTD, Linabeca Consulting Company and LMU Concrete & Blocks, trustee, PurpleHandsInitiatives, Canada; trustee, PurpleHands Empowerment Initiatives, Abuja and China-Africa Think Tanks, Beijing China.

Projects Achieved

Benard Odoh was awarded the Tertiary Educational Trust Fund 2012 research grant for investigating the geological and geochemical origin of Okposi-Uburu Salt Lakes; geotechnical investigation for characterizing subsurface geology, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

He was also awarded the Society of Exploration Geophysics (SEG) Oklahoma USA, 2011 grant for geoelectrical sounding and hydrogeochemical studies for delineating groundwater contamination of acid mine drainage at Okpara Mine site, Enugu, Southeastern Nigeria, and Society of Exploration Geophysics/TGS Field Camp Project Grant in support of the project “Investigation of Toxic Waste Sites and Buried Fuel Tanks Using Spontaneous Potential Method” 2009.

More projects handled by Odoh include the Society of Exploration Geophysics Project in support of Pb-Zn Exploration in Abakaliki using Spontaneous Potential, 2008 and Society of Exploration Geophysics Project on Hydro-geophysical mapping of the Abakaliki shale aquifers, 2007.

Family and Personal life

Odoh is married to Dr Juliana Nkechi Odoh. The family is blessed with a daughter, Adanna Odoh, and a son, Collins Odoh . His hobbies include Reading, Traveling and Networking.