Chukwuemeka Chikelu
Encyclopedia
Chukwuemeka Chikelu is a Nigeria
n lawyer and politician who was a National Representative
from Anambra State
(1999-2003), and then was Minister of Information and National Orientation during the second term of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
and an LLB from the University of Buckingham
in the United Kingdom before being called to the Nigerian Bar.
He founded the Matterson Group, a real estate development company, in 1996.
His father Chief Gilbert Chikelu, the Owelle Ichida, worked for Olusegun Obasanjo when he was military head of state.
(PDP) platform as a representative for the Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia constituency of Anambra State, holding office until May 2003.
Obasanjo selected Chikelu as Minister of Information at the start of his second term in 2003, a position in which he was expected to act as government spokesman.
In 2004, Chikelu announced an "image laundry" scheme to improve Nigeria's international image and make the country more attractive to foreign investors. The idea was greeted with some skepticism.
In May 2004, he directed all Federal Government media chief executives to give reduced charges for HIV/AIDS messages, and urged all other media executives to increase coverage and education on the epidemic.
He also challenged Nigerian journalists to sustain the campaign against Female Genital Mutilation , saying they "should make it a covenant to write at least a story on the evils of the practice."
Obasanjo dropped him from his cabinet in a major cabinet reshuffle in June 2005, replacing him with Frank Nweke
.
In September 2008 he was named a member of the Anambra PDP Peace and Reconciliation Committee, aimed at resolving infighting between party factions in the state.
In 2009, he was being seen as a potential candidate for Governor of Anambra State in the elections due on 6 February 2010, although he had failed to express interest in running for the position.
Chikelu would be "clean" candidate, unblemished by the murky politics of Anambra State.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n lawyer and politician who was a National Representative
Nigerian National Assembly delegation from Anambra
The Nigerian National Assembly delegation from Anambra comprises three Senators representing Anambra Central, Anambra South, and Anambra North, and eleven Representatives representing Anambra East/West, Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia, Aguta, Nnewi North/South/Ekwusigo, Onitsha North/South, Awka...
from Anambra State
Anambra State
Anambra is a state in south-eastern Nigeria. Its name is an anglicized version of the original 'Oma Mbala', the native name of the Anambra River. The Capital and the Seat of Government is Awka. Onitsha and Nnewi are the biggest commercial and industrial cities, respectively. The state's theme is...
(1999-2003), and then was Minister of Information and National Orientation during the second term of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Background
Chikelu earned a B.Sc. in Political Science and Public Administration from the University of MaiduguriUniversity of Maiduguri
The University of Maiduguri is located in Maiduguri, a city in Borno State in northeast Nigeria. The university was created by the federal government in 1975, with the intention of its becoming one of the country's principal higher-education institutions...
and an LLB from the University of Buckingham
University of Buckingham
The University of Buckingham is an independent, non-sectarian, research and teaching university located in Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Great Ouse. It was originally founded as Buckingham University College in the 1970s and received its Royal Charter from the...
in the United Kingdom before being called to the Nigerian Bar.
He founded the Matterson Group, a real estate development company, in 1996.
His father Chief Gilbert Chikelu, the Owelle Ichida, worked for Olusegun Obasanjo when he was military head of state.
Political career
In 1999, Chikelu ran successfully on the People's Democratic PartyPeople's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) platform as a representative for the Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia constituency of Anambra State, holding office until May 2003.
Obasanjo selected Chikelu as Minister of Information at the start of his second term in 2003, a position in which he was expected to act as government spokesman.
In 2004, Chikelu announced an "image laundry" scheme to improve Nigeria's international image and make the country more attractive to foreign investors. The idea was greeted with some skepticism.
In May 2004, he directed all Federal Government media chief executives to give reduced charges for HIV/AIDS messages, and urged all other media executives to increase coverage and education on the epidemic.
He also challenged Nigerian journalists to sustain the campaign against Female Genital Mutilation , saying they "should make it a covenant to write at least a story on the evils of the practice."
Obasanjo dropped him from his cabinet in a major cabinet reshuffle in June 2005, replacing him with Frank Nweke
Frank Nweke
Frank Nweke Jr. is a Nigerian politician who was Minister of Youth, Minister of Information and then Minister of Information and Communications during the second term of President Olusegun Obasanjo .-Background:...
.
In September 2008 he was named a member of the Anambra PDP Peace and Reconciliation Committee, aimed at resolving infighting between party factions in the state.
In 2009, he was being seen as a potential candidate for Governor of Anambra State in the elections due on 6 February 2010, although he had failed to express interest in running for the position.
Chikelu would be "clean" candidate, unblemished by the murky politics of Anambra State.