Following a new splurge in his social media presence, and increasing engagement of young people across Isuikwuato/Umu-nneochi constituency of Abia State, sources close to the man confirm what has been our long running suspicions, that former Ipas International Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Ejike Oji, will be contesting for the House of Representatives Seat, for the Isuikwuato/Umu-nneochi constituency.

Although, Dr. Oji refused to comment, we have decided to share contents of a post circulating on facebook, which support our story.

If this is true, this guy na nnukwu mmanwu oh!

https://www.facebook.com/drejikeoji

OVERVIEW
Dr. Ejike Oji has worked for over three decades as a physician and social entrepreneur, working to empower communities, safeguard the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women, and to build the capacities of young people in health and sustainable development.

He has been a Medical Doctor for 34 years. He was born into the family of Mazi B.A. Oji and Helen Ogbealu Oji of Ndi Oji compound Umudinja, Amaeke Ovim of Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State. He is married to Hon. Justice Chizoba Oji and blessed with four (4) wonderful children.

Dr. Oji has an MBBS degree and a postgraduate diploma in management. He has extensive experience in medical practice and consultancy, advocacy, and project and events management. He has worked as a medical officer in multiple health facilities and was at one time the National Coordinator for the National Program for Prevention of Blindness. Dr. Oji has organised and facilitated several national and international medical conferences, workshops and seminars. Additionally, he is a fundraising advisor for the Nigeria Red Cross and Chair of the Fund Raising Committee at the University of Nigeria. He joined Ipas international in 2002, and worked as its country director for several years.

Dr. Oji has been recognised on countless occasions by both governmental and civil society organisations, including an Advocate for Maternal and Child Health award in 2005, from the National Council of Women’s Societies in Nigeria in recognition of his individual contributions to reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria and promoting women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Dr. Oji is Founder and CEO of Dr Ejike Oji Community Development Foundation, which works to foster sustainable development across communities.

He continues to work in health policy and international development, as a consultant, with a vision of a Nigeria where health, especially women's health is a central part of all policies.


ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION
Dr. Oji made a distinction in the West African Examination Council (WAEC) examination at Government Secondary School, Owerri, in Imo State, in 1974, before he proceeded to study Medicine at the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), in Enugu State.

As an undergraduate, he participated in an Exchange Medical Training Program at Kings College Teaching Hospital in Denmark Hill, London, in the United Kingdom between 1977 and 1979.

He obtained his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree in 1980, from the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu State.

Over the past 34 years, he has upgraded his knowledge in human and resource management, through numerous courses on Leadership, Program Management, Conflict Resolution and Organisational Effectiveness, locally and internationally.


POSITIONS HELD
1. Managing Director/CEO, Ejiba and Chicon Ltd. Consultancy Services, 1989 till date.

2. President/Founder, Dr. Ejike Oji Community Development Foundation, 2013 till date.

3. Country Director and team leader, Ipas International, Nigeria, 2002 to 2013.

4. Chasel Hospital, Kaduna
A. Medical officer, 1982 to 1984
B. Acting Medical Director, 1984 to 1985
C. Deputy Medical Director, 1985 to 1988.

5. External Consultant, Deutsche Klinik fur Diagnostik (DKD) Modern Diagnostic Facility in Wiesbaden Germany - 1992 to 2001.

6. Consultant to National Program for Prevention of Blindness in Nigeria, 1994 to 1996.

7. Chairman, Priority Health Care PLUS, 2006 till date.

8. Member, Board of Trustees, Guardians of The Nation Initiative, 2012 till date.

9. Board member, Gregory University Teaching Hospital, Uturu, 2012 till date.

10. National Zonal Vice President, University of Nigeria (UNN) Alumni Association (UNNAA), North-Central Zone.

11. President, UNNAA Abuja branch, 2008 to 2012.

12. Chairman Fund Raising Committee, UNN 2000.

13. Chairman, Diaspora Committee, UNN.

14. Fund raising advisor, Young Women Christian Association, (YWCA) Nigeria.

15. Chairman, Guild of Medical Directors, Abuja branch.

16. Chairman, Management Committee, Association for Advancement of Family Planning in Nigeria.

17. Chairman, Ovim Community League, Abuja branch.


PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
1. Nigeria Medical Association
2. Nigerian Institute of Public Relations
3. Guild of Medical Directors
4. Member, Board of Trustees, Network of the Bar, Bench & Police (NBB&P)
5. Member, Philharmonic Society
6. Training Advisor Nigerian Red Cross


NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CREDITS
◈ Dr. Oji developed the concept of the midwifery scheme for rural areas and encouraged the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) office to adopt the concept. This scheme has reduced maternal mortality rate by 50% in 5 years and has won Nigeria numerous international awards. The scheme is being implemented by the National Primary Health Care Agency NPHCDA.

◈ Dr. Oji collaborated with the Senate Committee on Health to create awareness on maternal mortality related issues and equally trained some law makers on approaches to highlighting issues that concern women's reproductive health.

◈ Dr. Oji organised trainings for 460 journalists for better reportage on women’s reproductive health and rights over a 7 year period. This has led to reporting on women’s issues, especially on sexual violence, in Nigeria.

◈ Dr. Oji was the chairman of the committee that reorganised the National Ambulance Service. An initiative of the first Lady, driven by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.

◈ Dr. Oji played a key role in ensuring that, Misoprostol was included in the essential drugs list of the Federal Ministry of Health. This has led to a remarkable reduction of maternal deaths due to pregnancy related bleeding in Nigeria.

◈ Dr. Oji participated actively in several strategy meetings in the Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, on how to implement health programs.

◈ Dr. Oji successfully advocated for maternal and child health in Nigeria to the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), whose snowball advocacy led to the introduction of free maternal health programs in about 10 states in Nigeria, within the past 8 years.

◈ Dr. Oji built the capacity of 9 women's groups on 6 skill sets. These women groups include National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), Women Advancement for Economic and Leadership Empowerment (WAELE) in Africa, Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and Federation of Muslim Women in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Umuada Igbo, National Association of Army Wives (NAOWA), Young Women Christian Association (YWCA).

◈ Dr. Oji has been constantly sponsoring women’s August Meetings, across south-eastern Nigeria, including Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States, over the past 8 years.

◈ While on the saddle as the Country Director of Ipas, Dr. Oji made sure that the organisation had actively running programs in no fewer than 19 different states, supporting and advocating for women's sexual and reproductive health and rights.

◈ Dr. Oji initiated a health education and promotion approach, that has seen Ipas spend an average of 80 Million Naira annually, on supporting and advocating for women's sexual and reproductive health and rights in the states. This has happened in Abia state, for the past 7 years and is still running.

◈ Under Dr. Oji's leadership, Ipas developed a comprehensive collaboration with the Nigerian Medical Students' Association (NIMSA), to educate and inform young medical students on women's sexual and reproductive health and rights issues.

◈ In 2008, Dr. Oji addressed the United States Congress, for over four hours on issues of women’s health and this eventually led to the third executive order of President Obama, that saw millions of dollars released for interventions for women’s health, globally. Nigeria benefitted from this, in no small measure.

◈ Dr. Oji was invited by and worked with the Norwegian government to devise a strategy for intervening in Africa, leading to to an investment in Nigeria’s PATHS-2 project.

◈ Dr. Oji honoured 2 invitations to the West African Health Council for presentations, during the 11th Ordinary Meeting of ECOWAS Health Ministers in Obudu, Nigeria and during the 12th Ordinary Meeting in Sierra Leone, where robust strategies for reducing maternal mortality were developed and adopted.

◈ Dr. Oji has presented and advocated to the Global Health Council in Washington DC, on Contraception and maternal mortality, in view to advancing women's sexual and reproductive health and rights.

◈ Dr. Oji, during his time with Ipas international, developed the Ipas Nigeria program into the biggest and most elaborate among the 40 countries where Ipas international has operated over the past 12 years.


AWARDS
• Best physician awards in Kaduna State, Nigeria, for 2 consecutive years;

• Florence Nightingale Award for safe motherhood by the National Association of Nurses and Midwives of Nigeria;

• Member, honours roll of the NCWS, twice in a row, (only male recipient of such honour);

• Service to Humanity Award from WAELE, a Pan-African women's organisation working across 36 African countries to empower women economically and politically;

• PACNet Award of Distinction for maternal health services in Nigeria;

• Amazon merit award - NGO of the Year, for contributions to safe motherhood and improved maternal health;

• Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria (SOGON) Award for Corporate Excellence to Ipas under Dr. Oji's leadership, in recognition of outstanding contributions to promoting safe motherhood in Nigeria;

• Letter of Commendation from the National Planning Commission, for outstanding reproductive Health services work in Nigeria. Only Ipas, under Dr. Oji's leadership has received this award till date;

• SOGON award of excellence for outstanding work, in the reduction of maternal mortality in Nigeria;

• Nigerian Medical Students Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Health Care sector;

• Lifetime Achievement Award by the National body of the University of Nigeria Alumni Association (UNNAA);

• National Excellence Award by Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, Abia State in 2012.


CHIEFTAINCY TITLES
1. UgwuMba 1 of Ovim
2. Obi Oha 1 of Isuochi Ancient Kingdom
3. Aka jiOfornaOgu 1 of Obayi Kingdom, Ovim
4. Aka jiOfornaOguNdi Igbo


DR. EJIKE OJI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
The Dr. Ejike Oji Community Development Foundation was founded in 2013, as the brain child of Chief Dr. Ejike Oji, Ugwumba 1 of Ovim, in line with the Dr. Oji’s urge to give back to his community by providing positive deliverables at the grassroots.

The foundation was set up to empower community actors towards sustainable development. The areas of interest include the provision of public information in all areas of human endeavour, with specific attention to trainings for health workers, entrepreneurs, agriculturists and educators. The foundation also focuses on promoting civility, in public service.

The foundation's core strategy is designed to redirect attention towards the communities and encourage engagement on burning issues.


PAST ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMES FOR OUR GREAT PARTY (PDP)
• Card carrying member since 2011;
• Secured and leased a party office in Ezere ward in 2011;
• Active Patron of Ochendo Patriotic Front;
• Member Board of Trustees, South-East caucus of the PDP, Abuja chapter;
• Provided numerous vehicles, resource materials and logistics for the election campaign of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Governor T.A. Orji (Ochendo Global) Senator Chukwumerije, Hon. Nkeiru Onyejiocha and Hon Ogele in 2011;
• Constantly hosts party members in transit, on official visits in Abuja, since 2010.
• Always supporting party activities of our great party PDP, by providing logistics, materials and finances.
• The Midwifery scheme concept developed by Dr. Oji, gave international recognition to the PDP led government
• Dr. Oji has worked with friends, in building support and membership of our party by purchasing and delivering 400 cards to the party.

Dr. Ejike Oji continues to serve Health and International development, through his advocacy and community development work, with a strong desire to foster Constituency interests and well-being of the Isuikwuato/Umu-Nneochi people.