Born to the family of Mr Ndubueze & Mrs Mgbugo Ndubueze Ogbonnaya in Uzuakoli Abia State in December 1938 as the second out of seven brothers. The young Chika Ogbonna was known to always accompany his mother to the market and his father everywhere he went. As a growing child, he had a flair for fine art so much that every available wall was a canvas for a beautiful drawing. As a young child, he attended the Methodist Central School, Item in Abia State and then Okongu Memorial Grammar School in Nnewi, Anambra State where his interest in fine art received recognition in the Shell BP school services. His sketches were the best and this won him a golden parker pen as a prize.

After his school certificate, he joined his elder Ohalete Daniel Ogbonna brother in Lagos where he worked with the prisons department and also enrolled with the Federal Emergency Science School, Lagos in 1965 with the interest in pursuing a medical career.

In 1965, he embarked on an educational journey to Britain where he obtained his A Levels at the College of Science and Technology in the city of Blackburn, England and then went on to attend the State University Milan, Italy in 1968. Whilst in Milan, finance was a challenge due to the Nigerian Civil war however he obtained a scholarship which led to a medical degree in 1975 in the city of Milan.
He soon visited Nigeria to see his parents whom he hadn’t seen due to his studies and the Nigerian civil war. He obtained a postgraduate fellowship in plastic reconstructive surgery in 1978. Whilst in Milan undertaking his studies, he met and became friends with a young lady from the Seychelles (Marie-Anne Lespoir).

During the course of his studies, his friendship with the young Seychellois lady Marie-Anne had in the meantime blossomed into a beautiful union and the couple soon welcomed their first two children (Margaret Adaoha and Christian Nnamdi) in 1976 and 1978 respectively whilst living and working in Bergamo.

Dr Chika’s yearning to give back to his beloved country of origin soon saw him relocate to Nigeria in 1979 to take up an appointment at the University College Hospital Ibadan initially as a registrar in surgery and later as senior registrar in plastic surgery until he was moved to Adeoyo State hospital in 1985. Dr Chika and Mary-Anne went on to have 4 more children over the years (Amelia Ngozi, Ninette Ugonnaya, Daniel Ohalete and Norma Nneoma).

He worked at Adeoyo State Hospital from 1985 to 2008 where he held various positions ranging from Consultant Plastic Surgeon until he retired in the post of Chief Consultant after a distinguished life of selfless service to his patients and the Ibadan community. Dr Chika also published numerous professional journals and articles over the course of his distinguished career.

He was a much beloved and respected figure in the medical community in Ibadan and there was hardly any major hospital where he didn’t have extensive contacts or where the mention of his name did not bring fond tales of his kindness and selflessness as a doctor.

Despite his health challenges in the latter years, he spent his retirement enjoying the company of his children and grandchildren and reminiscing over what was no doubt a very blessed and purposeful life. He finally passed on to glory on Saturday 6th March 2021 leaving his much beloved wife of over 40yrs, children, grandchildren, brothers, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.