BART NWIBE – APC’S ANSWER TO A BETTER ANAMBRA

BY REVEREND OKECHUKWU ANOZIE

The 2017 Governorship elections in Anambra State will present very interesting scenarios. In all honesty, standards of personal integrity, character, pedigree, personality traits and carriage will come to bear greatly on anybody trying to take over from the incumbent, Chief Willie Obiano. Nobody will doubt Governor Obiano’s outstanding carrier in the Petroleum and Banking industry. He indeed acquitted himself creditably in various positions he held in these industries before becoming the Governor. It follows that any serious minded person interested in taking over his job must not have a questionable past, nor an unbroken pedigree. That candidate must be   one with impeccable credentials with proven track record.

   

It is therefore very important that the All Progressive Congress places the above personality traits mentioned when the party will select their candidate. Anambra State has gone past the era when anybody will be selected by any party to bear it’s flag. As the ruling party, touting change and hoping to challenge an incumbent, APC must do a self examination to understand that the person that will fly the Party’s flag must be one with unquestionable pedigree, clean, dedicated, caring and passionate about the State. This is why many are supporting the candidacy of Engr. Bart Nwibe, Group Managing Director of SEGOFS ENERGY SERVICES LTD; an accomplished player in the Oil and Gas sector; e technocrat who entered politics purely from the angle of service to the people; an unquestionable philanthropist. His story is a testimony in unbroken journey in excellence which will unnerve the hardest of APC delegates when they queue to select their candidate.

     

Engr Bart Nwibe is a history in humility, courage, determination and excellence. Born to humble parents; his father was a trader cum journey man while the mother was a petty trader but their determination to give their young brilliant son a good education etched like a sore in the midst of their heart and they did all they could to see him through before the heavens smiled on him with scholarship.

Mr Joseph Nwibe and Mrs Elizabeth Ifeyinwa Nwibe birthed this “man of the people” on the 9 the of July, 1961 at Igboukwu, in Aguata Local Area of present day Anambra State.

He began his journey in education at St Martins Primary School, Ihite Igboukwu. His excellent performance at the common entrance in 1975 earned him a place at the famous Christ the King College, C.K.C Onitsha. It is instructive to note that while at Christ the King College he maintained a high standard coming first in most exams. He passed out in flying colours and immediately gained admission to study Civil Engineering at the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka at the age of 19. Barely one year into his academic study at UNN, he landed a scholarship which enabled him to complete his education without stress. Providence you will say. But divine hand of God I will call it.

After completing his University education he embarked on the one year mandatory National Youth service and served in Degema, Rivers State. During his service he exhibited an uncanny bravery when he rescued a 12 year old girl from drowning even though he lacked the skill to swim and was sick at that period of time. This goes to show a man with milk of human kindness and large heartedness which he has continued to exhibit up till today. The NYSC awarded him a Certificate of Commendation for his exceptional performance during the National Service.

After his one year service he began his brilliant engineering carrier with UMEC Associates before joining WOG where he exhibited brilliance, industry and candour. He was later to train as a Drilling Specialist after which he worked for different companies like Sperry Sun Drilling Services (a Halliburton Company), Baker Hughes, Inteq, Schlumberger(D+M) and lastly Shell Petroleum Development Company; all known multinationals and the crème la crème of the oil and gas industry worldwide.

Engr Bart Nwibe was severally applauded by his bosses as a first class brain and a team player who will go far. And indeed Ugo Igboukwu has come far. He defied gravity, having been born   lowly to now sit atop blue chip companies that are playing significant roles in the Oil and gas Industry, as well as the Civil Construction sector.

In 2006 he with an few compatriots founded SEGOFS Energy Services Ltd, an upstream oil and gas company which specializes in Drilling, Measurement and Engineering services where over 300 workers are employed. It should gladden the heart of our people that more than 100 Igboukwu indigenes are employed in this company and earning very attractive salaries. It is also a thing to be proud of about Engr. Bart Nwibe that despite the recession and downturn in the business climate he has refused to sack workers, knowing the terrible plight they will be subjected to if sacked. What a man filled with compassion for humanity.

Engr. Nwibe, Ugo Igboukwu, has proven to the world that Nigerians too can excel in the nation’s upstream sector of the Oil and Gas Industry. “Forever grateful to providence Ugo has always seen philanthropy as a means of giving back to the society. A visit to his homes and offices at Igboukwu, Portharcourt or Lagos will witness crowd of visitors each with a problem or the other with hope that Ugo will hear them out and help them out”.

In 2010 Ugo was conferred with the traditional title of Ugo Igboukwu by HRH Igwe Dr. M.N. Ezeh, Idu II of Igboukwu. In 2016 he took the prestigious Ozo title of Igboukwu thus completing the necessary traditional rite that stands out any man in Igbo land. Bart ezugo na nwoke.

HIS POLITICS

Chief Engr. Bart Nwibe started politics from the angle of pure service to his people when he found out that as a single man, he can only get a little done no matter how hard he tries. So he invested heavily in the formation of APGA and later played a major role, with some Igboukwu indigenes, to sponsor someone for House of Representatives in ANPP to represent Aguata Federal Constituency. But in 2011 he threw himself in the ring and personally fought to represent Aguata in the Federal House of Representatives under the platform of then ACN. The rest is history. Engr. Bart Nwibe is a founding member of All Progressive Congress, APC and have contributed in building the party from AC, to ACN and now APC. His support for Dr Ngige and AC/ACN/APC has affected him personally and even his businesses. But as a principled politician he has endured. Engr Bart Nwibe is not a fare whether politician, he is a long racer and not pulled by the lucre of office or financial gratification.

AGENDA

Ugo is a democrat and a progressive politician that believes in inclusiveness. His love for his people, and indeed Ndi Anambra has emboldened him to come out and fight for the ticket of APC and thus go ahead to become the next governor of Anambra State. He has developed a comprehensive agenda he will carry through as Governor of Anambra State which are anchored on developing the Oil & Gas Resources in Anambra Basin from which a Refinery, Petrochemical and Gas Plants will emerge to generate electricity to power industries as well as provide employment for the youths of Anambra State. Ugo has brilliant ideas on consolidating the gains in Education and Security. His ideas on Health will turn Anambra State into The Health City of Nigeria with the potential for medical tourism as a revenue source for the State.

Poverty alleviation vision of Engr. Bart Nwibe aims primarily to break the cycle of poverty and deprivation to individuals, families, persons living with disability and the youth through well articulated agenda anchored on direct assistance, counseling, and training programs.

As noted by Napoleon Hill, a great philosopher; “The world suffers a lot, not because of the actions of bad persons but rather because of the silence of the good ones”…Bart Nwibe has consistently frowned at the negligence of key issues that will positively impact the people by past and present governments in Anambra State and felt that enough is enough. “Evil only thrive when men of good will keep quiet, in the face of these obvious neglect and shortchanging of the citizenry I will not more keep quite; we must restructure the government to serve the masses not a few people”, Bart Nwibe believes.  

 

 

LOVE FOR EDUCATION

As a lover of education, and taking a cue from his background, Ugo Igboukwu started a scholarship Foundation and education empowerment scheme which have seen brilliant and indigent students through with their academics. Today he has Ugo Igboukwu Foundation which metamorphosed from St Joseph Academic Awards where more than 10,000 students from primary to tertiary have been empowered for the last 13 years. The Foundation also runs Adult Literacy programme in Igboukwu today where adults are prepared free of tuition to take their WASCE. Engr Bart Nwibe is a believer in the potentials inherent in the people of Anambra State. He believes that Anambra is “neither lacking in people or resources to totally transform the State”, but that lack of visionary and focused leadership is the bane of our state. He wants to provide the needed leadership to unplug the State’s latent potentials and thus push us into the next best thing in Nigeria.

CHRISTIAN VIRTUES

A devout Christian of the Catholic Faith, Engr Bart Nwibe believes and loves the things of God and has contributed hugely to the building of many of God’s temples in Igboukwu, Awka Diocese and Port Harcourt. As someone who sees his rise as a special Grace from God and thus feels obligated to also be part of the expansion of God’s Vine yard through sponsorship of various projects. He is a Patron of the CMO, Patron of The Laity Council of Nigeria, and Patron of Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria. Ugo Igboukwu is single handedly erecting an Out-post of St Martin’s Parish at Etiti as well as building an ICT Centre as St Peter’s University, Achina in Aguata Local Government of Anambra State

COMMUNITY SERVICE 

Engr. Bart Nwibe was the 1^st Vice President of Igboukwu Development Union, and have held several other positions like treasurer; Etiti Village meeting, Patron of various bodies, etc. He has received Special Awards from Igboukwu Student’s Union; he was once the President of Igboukwu Students Union.  Awka Catholic Diocese and St Martin’s Catholic Church, Igboukwu have also conferred him Special Awards for all for his selfless services to these bodies. It should be noted that during these years of crisis in his community, Igboukwu Ugo has contributed immensely financially and otherwise in many efforts to resolve the crises. Ugo Igboukwu is a Paul Harris Fellow and Major Donor of the Rotary Club and is a recipient of several awards from several Districts of the Rotary Club. Ugo Ndi Anambra is indeed a man with the heart of gold.

FAMILY LIFE

 Ugo Igboukwu is happily married to Barrister Chinwe Nwibe and blessed with Children. In all our people has an adage that says “eji anya ama oka chara acha, na ntupeya bu usa”. Ugo Igboukwu we know. Let us be part of this glorious revolution that will usher in another Igbo patriot as a Governor. There is every assurance that this one will be better than all the other ones    ddddddd55xs As the Bible says, “the Glory of the later House shall be greater that the former” Ugo believes that His Aspiration is Our Aspiration.