His Excellency, Amb. Elijah Onyeagba , PhD (45 years, South East, Nigeria) is a Nigerian Diplomat currently serving as Nigeria’s ambassador to the republic of Burundi. He is one of the top young hopefuls of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in South Eastern Nigeria since 2015 at the formation of the party and effectively campaigned for Tinubu/Shettima in the region in the presence of strong ethno-tribal sentiments. The popularity of the APC in the South East had been non[1] receptive with majority of the people tagging the party a Muslim party which became more herculean with the emergence of the Muslim/Muslim ticket of the duo of Tinubu and Shettima. A commentator even joked to say, “if any Igbo man can convince another one to vote for APC in the South East such vote should counted as 10 votes equivalent given how difficult it would be.” Yet it is the likes of Amb. Onyeagba who did not only dare the odds but drove a hard bargain that has gradually consolidated the party’s footing in the region.
Elijah was born on 2 September 1977 into the family of Apostle Raphael and late Mrs Mabel Onyeagba of Awoovu village, Enugwu Ukwu. His father was a pastor and his mother a teacher. He was Managing Director/CEO of Countrywide Housing Company (CHC) – a company that has set out to develop affordable housing units in Nigeria and to create value within the housing ecosystem. He also worked as Head of Commercial (Marketing & Sales), Northern Operations of the Nigeria Securities, Printing and Minting (NSPM Plc). Prior to that, he was the Group Head(AGM) in charge of Real Estate Transaction in ASO Savings & Loans Plc; Nigeria’s largest originator of mortgage assets with additional responsibility of overseeing the company business concerns within the Federal Capital Territory, North and the Southern Regions of Nigeria. Before joining ASO, he worked with Equitorial Trust Bank (Now Sterling Bank) as Head of Business, Bond Bank (Now Skye Bank) as relationship manager and Platinum Bank (Now keystone Bank) as relationship officer and customer service officer. He also worked as a research assistant with the Policy Analysis and Research Group (PARG). Am b Elijah Onyeagba, who before his appointment as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Federal Republic of Burundi by President Muhammadu Buhari, he contested for the House of Representatives office of Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia Federal Constituency in Anambra state under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Elijah is Alumnus of the International Housing Finance Program and Securitization of the Wharton Business School in Pennsylvania. Elijah is an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellow of the African Leadership Institute. He also led Tinubu/Shettima campaign groups in the South East including as Grand Patron of Tinubu/Shettima Disciples, Chair Member of Tinubu/Shettima South East Support Groups, Member, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign in Anambra State and many other youth groups of the party. Also, Member, Tinubu/Shettima Women Presidential Campaign Team, Director Diaspora Affairs,, Member Contact & Mobilization (South East) for Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council and his LGA (Njikoka) Council for Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Council. Amb. Elijah is loved by young people across party lines due to his profound commitment to excellence and innovation. His savvy youth driven team in Burundi proves his capacity to perform exceptionally well in a youth empowerment and development MDA. He also engages with top level young Igbo business moguls and celebrities which he did not hold back during his involvement in mobilizing Igbos in Lagos to also vote Babajide Sanwo Olu at the governorship elections on the 18th March 2023. He also sits on the Advisory board of Democracy Youth Round table .
Professionally, In addition, he has undergone several leadership and management courses in Harvard Business School USA – High Potential Leadership Program H PLP- 2008, Leadership Development LD 2009, Wharton Business School USA – Strategic Marketing – MT 2010, Said Business School Oxford UK, 2012 and INSEAD Business School, Fontaine Bleau, France – Leadership Transition LT, 2013. Elijah seeks to bring on board finance and investment experience for national economic development. As a young autistic innovative leader, he is one of those South Easterners that can consolidate on the party’s efforts in the region. He is also a Senior Member of the Chartered institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HCIB) and a Fellow of the Institute of Treasury and Financial Administration (FITFA), a new leader with the Crans Montana Forum and a member of the African Leadership Network-ALN.
Academically, Elijah started his academic life at Community Primary School Enugwu Agidi where he finished and got admiĴ ed into St. Michael’s Secondary School NIMO where he obtained his West African education Certificate (school certificate). He bagged his first degree in Economics with 2 1 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Master’s Business Administration in Finance from University of Calabar and Master’s in Applied Economics from the American University in Washington DC, USA. He has a PhD in Economics (Public Policy) from the Prestigious Atlantic International University, Hawaii USA. He is a Board of Trustee member of IgbaK’Igba Foundation-an NGO committed to the empowerment and uplifting of children, youths and women in Nigeria.