Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi is not only a wealthy politician but also a successful businessman. He spent some time in the corporate world before venturing into politics. Find out more about Peter Obi’s life in this article.
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Peter Obi Profile
| Name | Peter Gregory Obi |
| Date of birth | 19th July 1961 |
| State of Origin | Anambra, Nigeria |
| Occupation | Businessman, Politician |
| Wife | Margaret Brownson Usen |
| Net worth | $10 million |
His full name is Peter Gregory Obi and he was born in Onitsha, Anambra state. He was fondly called “OKWUTE” meaning “ROCK” by loved ones. Born on 19th July 1961, Peter Obi had his early education in Onitsha, Anambra state. He had his secondary school education at Christ the King College, Onitsha. For his higher education studies, Peter Obi attended the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he bagged a degree in Philosophy in 1984.
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Peter Obi has a large appetite for knowledge and academics. This appetite made me travel outside Nigeria to top global schools for further studies. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, Boston, USA; London School of Economics where he studied Financial Management/Business Policy; Columbia Business School, New York, the USA where he studied Marketing Management; Institute for Management and Development, Switzerland where he also got two certificates in Senior Executive Program and Chief Executive Officers program; Kellogg Graduate School of Management, USA, Oxford University and Cambridge.
Peter Obi Business Career
Due to intelligence and business acumen, Peter Obi was able to successfully build a reputable career in the business world. He worked with various high-profile companies in different managerial and business roles. Some of the companies he worked with include;
- Next International Nigeria Ltd
- Guardian Express Mortgage Bank Ltd
- Guardian Express Bank Plc
- Future View Securities Ltd
- Paymaster Nigeria Ltd
- Chams Nigeria Ltd
- Corp Ltd and Card Centre Ltd
During the tenure of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Peter Obi was appointed as the Chairman of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Peter Obi also has membership in top-rated bodies including the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), the Nigerian Chartered Institute of Bankers, and the British Institute of Directors (IOD).
Peter Obi’s Political Career
Peter Obi’s political career faced a lot of opposition, but being a determined and bold man, he was able to overcome them all. He first contested for the governorship seat in Anambra in 2003 under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). However, his opponent Chris Ngige was declared the winner by INEC. Peter Obi refused to accept this verdict and fought the case in court for three years until they declared him the winner and took the governorship seat on 17th March 2006.
In 2010, Peter Obi contested for a second term as Governor of Anambra State. He gallantly won the election, defeating his opponent Professor Charles Soludo, former CBN governor. He led the people of Anambra for another four years after he handed it over to Willie Obiano in 2014.
Peter Obi aspired to be the vice president of Nigeria during the 2019 presidential election. He was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar under the People’s Democratic Party. Unfortunately, he lost the election to the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari.
Peter Obi Awards And Recognitions
Peter Obi has received various accolades for outstanding ventures in the business and political sectors. Some of his awards and recognitions include;
- Man of the Year, Sun Newspaper, 2007
- Most Prudent Governor in Nigeria, Thisday Newspaper, 2009
- Nigeria’s Most Trustworthy Governor, Champion Newspaper, 2009
- Governor of the Year, West Africa ICT Development Award, 2010
- Zik Leadership Prize, 2011
- Best Performing Governor on Immunization in South-East Nigeria, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2012
- Leadership and Good Governance Award, Ezeife Leadership Foundation, 2012
- Golden Award on Prudence, Methodist Church of Nigeria, 2012
- Man of the Year, Business Hallmark Newspaper, 2012
- Man of the Year, Silverbird, 2013
- Award for Outstanding Example in Leadership and Governance, The Voice Newspaper, 2014
- Most Outstanding Igbo Man of the Decade, Champion Newspaper, 2014
- Golden Merit Award, Nigerian Library Association, 2014
- Golden Jubilee Award, Catholic Diocese of Onitsha, 2015
Peter Obi’s Net Worth
The former governor of Anambra State and vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 general elections, Peter Obi said he was a trader who ventured into banking before he became a governor, Also an engineer of South African Breweries, with all we believe Obi was a billionaire in naira with an estimated net worth of about $10 million, even before becoming governor of Anambra state.
Peter Obi Cars
A man as wealthy and influential kick Peter Obi can afford to ride the best of cars. During his tenure as Governor, it is reported that he rode in a convoy containing exotic and luxurious cars. Possible luxurious cars in Peter Obi’s garage include;
- Mercedes Benz AMG C63
The luxury AMG C63 is the befitting car for Peter Obi during his various business and political meetings within Nigeria. You can get the Mercedes Benz AMG either as a coupe, sedan, or convertible.
This car features a SiriusXM satellite radio that comes with a six-month trial, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Bluetooth audio streaming. This car has a starting cost of 65 million NGN.
- Lexus LX 570
Lexus is characterized by producing quality cars built for the best performance and comfort. With a 5.7-litre V8 that generates 403 lb-ft of torque, the Lexus LX 570 is one of the toughest models of the Lexus car brand. The car costs approximately N75 million.
- Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota land cruisers have a bold and boxy appearance that makes them hard to miss. Often referred to as the King of all SUVs, the Toyota Land Cruiser is a good car to have. With a powerful V8 engine, one can only expect the Land Cruiser to generate great horsepower and torque rated at 262 bhp at 3400 RPM and a max torque of 650 Nm at 1600 RPM respectively. This vehicle costs between 55-70 million NGN.
Peter Obi Houses
Peter Obi lives in a luxurious house worth millions of naira. He is suspected of owning a mansion worth 650 million NGN in Enugu, Nigeria. It is also said that he has a house in London and multiple houses scattered across Nigeria.
Peter Obi’s Personal Life
Peter Obi got married to Margaret Brownson Usen in 1992 and they were blessed with two children: Gabriella Nwamaka Frances Obi and Gregory Peter Oseloka Obi. He is also a devoted Catholic
Source of wealth
During the Pandora Paper saga, Peter Obi in an Arise TV programme said; “I was the sole engineer of South African Breweries. I was also bringing in Ovaltine.
“The company I was with before I left it for my brother who took over and paid me off. That company became the Next Cash and Carry in Port Harcourt and Abuja.
“I was sitting on the board of three banks and was the chairman of one before I became a governor.”
Peter Obi Achievements
- He was the first gubernatorial candidate in Nigeria to legally challenge to its logical conclusion, his governorship electoral victory that was denied him. He won in the Courts and reclaimed his mandate.
- He was the first Governor in Nigeria to legally challenge his wrongful impeachment and was reinstated by the Courts.
- He was the first Governor in Nigeria to seek the interpretation of tenures of Governors when INEC allowed elections to take place in Anambra State when his tenure had not expired; the election already concluded was cancelled and he was allowed to complete his tenure.
- He was the first Governor to serve a 2nd term in both the new and old Anambra State, that is, almost 40 years after the creation of the State.
- He was the first Governor, whilst still in Office, to be appointed a Special Adviser to the President.
- He was the first serving Governor to be appointed to the Presidential Economic Management Team.
- He was among the first Governors to be honoured with a National Award in 2011, while still in office.
- Though the only Governor whose political party was in government in only one State, he was elected Vice-Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum twice.
- Though the only non-PDP Governor in the South-East (made up of 5 States), he was elected by the other 4 PDP Governors as their Chairman for 8 years rather than the usual one year.
Fundamental Achievements as Governor of Anambra State
1. Anambra was the first State to commence Sub-Sovereign Wealth savings, the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa. At a time when many other Governors were leaving huge debts, I left the equivalent of $500 Million dollars in investment as well as local and foreign currency, including $156 million in Dollar-denominated bonds.
2. For the first time in the history of Anambra State, Ambassadors and High Commissioners of notable countries such as the United States, Britain, Russia, the European Union, South Africa, Belgium, Israel, the Netherlands, and Canada, among others, visited the State. Before his tenure, Anambra was practically a pariah state blacklisted by the Diplomatic Corps and international development partners.
3. Development partners such as UNDP, UNICEF, the World Bank, DFID, the European Union etc., which hitherto were not in Anambra State started working with the State. Anambra was consistently adjudged one of the best states in development partnership and commitment to reforms for good governance.
4. He was recognised as the Best Governor by the Millennium Development Goals Office (OSSAP-MDGs) and the UNDP in implementing their programmes in Nigeria.
5. The Nigerian Debt Management Office (DMO) rated Anambra as the least indebted state in Nigeria. In spite of visible and measurable achievements recorded in various sectors, the State under him did not borrow or raise bonds for her various projects.
6. The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria rated Anambra State as the most financially stable state in the country.
7. The State’s ground-breaking return of schools to their original owners – Voluntary Agencies (Churches) on 1st January 2009, and subsequent partnership with the Agencies in Education, saw the State move from 24th position out of 36 States to Number One in National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations for three consecutive years. This made the World Bank to commission a study, led by the renowned Prof. Paul Collier of Oxford University, on this revolutionary partnership and phenomenal achievement.
8. The State also entered into a strategic partnership with the Churches in the Health sector. This symbiotic relationship resulted in a tremendous boost to health care because of the services offered by health institutions owned by Voluntary Agencies, while the State restored grants to the agencies and made available to them more than 50 Million Dollars in various types of support.
9. Through a partnership with the Church in the Health sector, his Government funded the transformation of -:
- a: Iyienu Hospital, Ogidi
- b: Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala
- c: St Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha
- d: Holy Rosary Hospital, Waterside, Onitsha
- e: St. Joseph Hospital, Adazi-Nnukwu.
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