Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State and a prominent member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has been appointed as one of the ministerial nominees in President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The news of his appointment put an end to weeks of speculation about his potential role in the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government under Tinubu’s leadership.
Born on December 13th, 1963, in Rumuepirikom, Obio-Akpor, Rivers State, Nigeria, Nyesom Wike is the son of Reverend Nlemanya Wike and is currently 57 years old (as of 2020). He pursued his education in Rivers State, attending Government Secondary School Eneka in Obiakpor and later earning a degree in Law from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUT). He furthered his studies at the Nigeria Law School, and he also holds a Masters degree in Political and Administrative Studies from the same university.
Wike began his career in politics after a brief stint in private legal practice. He served as the Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) for two terms from 1999 to 2007, gaining recognition for his exemplary performance in the position. During his tenure, he held various significant roles, including Deputy President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in 2004 and later becoming the President of ALGON. He also represented Africa in the Commonwealth Local Governments Forum.
Subsequently, he assumed the role of Chief of Staff at the Government House in Port Harcourt and was appointed Minister of Rivers State for Education on July 14th, 2011. Later, he was elevated to the position of Minister of Education for the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria after the previous minister was dismissed. However, he resigned from the ministerial post to contest for the Governorship of Rivers State under the PDP’s ticket.
Wike’s political journey reached a significant milestone when he won the Rivers State People’s Democratic Party gubernatorial election primaries on December 8th, 2014, and eventually emerged victorious in the general elections held in April the following year. His mandate was renewed on April 3rd, 2019, when he was re-elected as the Governor of Rivers State in the 2019 general elections.
As a lawyer and politician, Wike made noteworthy contributions to the development of various government systems. During his tenure as the Minister of State for Education, he led a nationwide reform of the education system, with a focus on providing quality education to approximately nine million Almajiri children in Northern Nigeria. He spearheaded the construction of dedicated schools in affected states and vocational training schools for out-of-school children in Southern Nigeria. Moreover, he championed the establishment of Special Girl-Education Schools for less privileged girls in 16 states of the country and facilitated the free distribution of over sixty million textbooks and library resources nationwide since 2011.
In recognition of his dedication to improving the lives of Nigerians, Wike has received two awards: the Nigeria National award of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and the Governor of the Year Award 2017 by The Sun Newspapers, bestowed on him on February 23rd, 2018.
Apart from his political engagements, Nyesom Wike is a devoted family man, married to Eberechi, and they have three children named Jordan, Joaquin, and Jazmyne.
