Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe

Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe was a Nigerian nationalist, politician, statesman, and government minister in the Nigerian First Republic and a Biafran Roving ambassador during the civil war. He started his education at St Mary's Catholic School, Port Harcourt, and finished it at a government school in Aba. He then attended the Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar, Aggrey Memorial College, Arochukwu, Igbobi College, Lagos and the Baptist Academy, Lagos. He later studied at Columbia University and New York University in the United States, where he became a pan-African student activist and met Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady. He returned to Nigeria in 1947 and established a research institute on African Arts. He joined the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) and was elected into the Eastern Region House of Assembly in 1951. He held various ministerial positions, such as Lands and National Resources, Communication and Aviation, and Trade and Industry. He was also the parliamentary leader of the NCNC and a close ally of Nnamdi Azikiwe, the leader of the party and the first president of Nigeria. He was known for his flamboyant lifestyle, eloquent speeches, and nationalist vision. He advocated for a united and prosperous Nigeria that would be a leader in Africa and the world. He opposed the military coups that disrupted the democratic process and plunged the country into a civil war. He served as a roving ambassador for the secessionist state of Biafra, but later reconciled with the federal government after the war. He remained active in politics and public affairs until his death in 1990. He left behind a legacy of achievements, such as founding the Mbadiwe University, the Mbadiwe Foundation, and the Mbadiwe Library. He was also a patron of arts and culture, and a mentor to many young Nigerians. He was honored with various awards and titles, such as the Order of the Niger (OON), the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), and the Omenka of Arondizuogu.