Fidelis Leweanya Ogbuagu was born on August 22, 1934 to Rueben Lemuchi Ogbuagu and Victoria Ogbuagu of Umuluwe Ajirija, Isiala Mbano Imo State in Nigeria.
He attended St Paul’s Elementary Catholic School Osuama,in Imo State where he did primary one through six.
He then gained admission to St Paul’s Commercial Secondary School Oboh Hill Aba.
His dream was to attend university and earn the title of the First Graduate of Umuluwe Ajirija. When he realized that the course offered at a Commercial School will not lead him to a University, he studied on his own and took the entrance exam to Grammar School and gained admission to St Paul’s Secondary School Oboh Hill Aba.
After his Secondary education, he worked briefly at Vivian Young and Bond Printing Company. Still in search for a path to achieving a degree, he taught briefly at Immaculate Heart Secondary School Aba. While teaching, he studied on his own and attempted and passed both ‘O’ Level and ‘A’Level General Certificate of Education Exams.
Armed with these certificates he gained admission to two renowned universities; namely Fourah Bay College the University of Sierra Leone and the University of West Indies in Jamaica. According to him, he decided that which ever university he attends he will not only achieve a degree but he will also choose a life partner from the country where the university is located.
As fate would have it, he finally proceeded to Fourah Bay College, the University of Sierra Leone in 1967. He was always thankful to God for saving his life. He was among the last set of people to leave the then Eastern Nigeria after which the boarders were closed and the Civil War started in earnest.
He almost got turned back but for the kindness of a Catholic Priest who claimed that they were traveling together .Further more; he almost got drowned because the driver of the boat that took him across from Oron in Cross River State was drunk and the boat almost capsized. From Oron, he traveled to Cameroon where he boarded a flight to Freetown, Sierra Leone.
According to him, the money he saved and took to Sierra Leone only paid for the first year of his course. With a full blown war in Nigeria, he lost all contact with his parents. .He now faced a huge financial problem. His option was to appeal to individuals and organizations. He always expressed his gratitude to the Late President Siaka Stevens who helped him with a financial donation .He was later given a scholarship by World Council of Churches. With this scholarship, he pursued and finally attained the much coveted Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics in 1971. He was the first person to achieve a University Degree in Umuluwe Ajirija. He is the Trail Blazer.
After achieving the Golden Fleece, he now focused on the other aspect of his goal; namely to choose a life partner from the country where he studied. On the thirteenth of December, 1969, he met and fell in love with Victoria Gloria Johnson a native of Regent Village in the Mountain District of Sierra Leone .He recorded this event in his diary stating that by the grace of God, he will get married to her after graduation. At ten O’ clock in the morning of April 28, 1973, Fidelis tied the knot with Victoria at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The marriage is blessed with five blessed and successful children – Chidi Fidelis Ogbuagu, Chigemezu Clifford Ogbuagu, Ikechukwu Victor Ogbuagu,Uzoma Royston Ogbuagu and Obiageli Linda Ogbuagu.
Fidelis positively touched the lives of many children in Sierra Leone when he taught at Bishop Johnson Memorial School from 1968 – 1972. He also taught Accounting at Albert Academy Secondary School from 19 73 – 19 78. He returned to his father land Nigeria in 1978 and his family joined him in 1979.
In Nigeria, he took up appointment with The Administrative Staff College of Nigeria in Topo Badagry. During his term of office he won a scholarship to The University of Aston in Birmingham UK where he attained a Master of Science degree in Public Sector Management. He continued his service at ASCON where he rose to the post of a director before he retired in 2005.
He wrote and published many articles which include; i. “Functions and Roles of the Treasury in Local Government”. ii. “Manpower Development and Training for Macro – Economic Management in West Africa. The Case for Training Needs Analysis, Methodology and Techniques.” iii. Management Decision – Making Process. Journal of Professional Administration No. 4 October/ December 2000. iv. “The Implication of Retirement Management on Employees.” The Nigerian Institute of Management, Lagos, 2004.
He passed away on the 8th of August, 2015. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.
By His Wife – Mrs. Victoria Ogbuagu
