EDO DECIDES 2024: WHO IS ANSLEM USIOISE OJEZUA, ESQ.

Anselm Usioise Ojezua, Esq. is A Governorship Aspirant for Edo State 2024.

It was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (an American poet and educator) who said, “the heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.” Sydney Smith (an English clergyman, critic and philosopher) also quipped, “Great men hallow a whole people, and lift up all who live in their time.” In the same vein, Robert Green Ingersoll (an American lawyer, writer and orator) reeled out, “A great man does not seek applause or place; he seeks for truth; he seeks the road to happiness, and what he ascertains, he gives to others.” These and more could pass as accurate literary descriptions of the life, times and person of Barrister Anselm Usiose Ojezua.

Anselm U. Ojezua, a native of Eidenu in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State was born in Ibadan on the 18th of July 1959 to Mr. R. M. Ojezua (MFR) and Princess B. L. Ojezua (both of blessed memory).

Anselm’s early education started at Emotan Preparatory School, Benin City from 1963 to 1969. From there he went to the Immaculate Conception College (ICC) from 1970 to 1974. Thereafter, he taught at St. Stephen Primary School, Benin City until he was offered admission to the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus to study Law. He graduated with an LLB (Hons) degree in 1980. The same year, he was admitted into the Nigeria Law School, Victoria Island Lagos from where he was called to the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister at Law of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1981.

Anselm was posted to Rivers State for the National Youth Service Corps programme where he served his Primary assignment with the 2 Amphibious Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt as the Brigade Lawyer.

At the end of the service year, he returned to Benin City to join the Law Firm of Jim Akhere & Co where he had interned while in Law School. During the period, he was concurrently engaged in political activities, greatly inspired by his maternal uncle Prince Godwill Shaka Momodu.

In the same year of 1982, while on a visit to Port Harcourt, his political profile was boosted when he was coopted to serve on the Gubernatorial Nomination Committee set up by the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) for the Rivers State chapter of the Party. Immediately thereafter, he was drafted to coordinate Senator Uba’s campaign for the office of the National Secretary of the National Party of Nigeria. Upon the success of that campaign, he was appointed as a Special Assistant to the National Secretary.

In 1984, after the military coup by General Muhammadu Buhari which ousted Alhaji Shehu Shagari from office as President of Nigeria, Anselm relocated to Port Harcourt, Rivers State to join the prominent Law firm of Okocha and Okocha (Barristers and Solicitors) founded by O. C. J. Okocha (SAN). There he was exposed to a wide range of legal services.

Due to intense pressure from home and the dire need to effectively participate in the unfolding political activities, Anselm returned home to Benin City to establish his law firm towards the end of 1986. In Benin, he replicated the model of practice imbibed from Okocha and Okocha but had to expand it to include legal aid services.

Anselm Ojezua was a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In 2002, he was appointed Secretary Glory 2003 which was the special purpose vehicle established by His Excellency Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion to undertake the responsibility of ensuring his re-election as Governor of Edo State. The team was headed by Chief Sam Iredia of blessed memory as Chairman. The election was a huge success. Unfortunately, due to internal wrangling within the Party and the membership revalidation exercise, Anselm and a number of notable leaders across the State had their names removed from the PDP register in Edo State. This blunder led to the birth of Action Congress for Democracy (ACD) which later metamorphosed into AC, ACN and finally APC.

Between 2003 and 2012, he served in the Edo State Government in various capacities including but not limited to Deputy Chief of Staff (2003 -2005), Commissioner for Youth and Sport (2005-2007), Chairman of Post Primary Education Board (2009 – 2010), Commissioner for Information & Orientation 2010 – 2011, Commissioner of Lands, Survey and Housing (2011 – 2012). He also supervised the Ministries of Works and Education concurrently at some point during the period.

In May 2014 he was elected State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State for a term of 4 years. He was re-elected for an unprecedented second term in 2018. His tenure as State Chairman ushered in an administration characterized by mass mobilization occasioned by efficiency and consensus building until the Party imploded due to top leadership failure.

He returned to PDP in 2020 and he is a respected leader of the Party.

Anselm U. Ojezua Esq. is a lawyer by profession and a politician by vocation. He is also a businessman with varied interests in Agriculture and Construction (Building and Road).

He was married to Mrs Doris Ikioda Ojezua of blessed memory and he is blessed with three children, Ivie, Alex and Michael.