Walter Ofonagoro (born 24 June 1940) is a Nigerian scholar, politician and businessman who is a former Minister of Information and Culture, Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is also the Chairman of Stanwal Securities Limited (member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange), as well as Chairman of Merit Microfinance Bank Ltd.
Early life
Born and raised in Port Harcourt Rivers State, Nigeria on June 24, 1940, Ofonagoro is the third child and second son in a family of fifteen. His father, Chief Gabriel Obioha Ofonagoro (Duruishimbu IV of Umuanu Amaigbo and Ugochinyere Igbo 1 of Amaigbo) was at the time of his birth, Assistant Transport Manager of UAC Bulk Oil Plant, Port Harcourt. His mother, Lolo Gladys Ogonnaya Ofonagoro was a dealer in UAC Textiles.
He was educated at Baptist Day School Port Harcourt from 1947 to 1954, and subsequently at Baptist High School Port Harcourt from 1955 to 1959. He then went on to study at Holy Family College Abak in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria where he studied for his A-levels and passed the Cambridge Higher School Certificate examination with Distinction in 1961. Afterwards he went to study at Trinity College, University of Toronto Canada where he graduated with a BA. First Class Hons. Modern History, in 1966. He also studied at Columbia University, New York, where he earned an MA in African Economic History with Distinction in June 1967, and finally got his PhD in African Economic History with Distinction on February 2, 1972. He was a distinguished lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Lagos, Nigeria
Career
Contributions to academics
Many years prior to his work in the Ministry of Information and Culture, Ofonagoro first began his career in 1962 as a tutor in Baptist High School Port Harcourt where he taught English, Latin and History. From 1968 to 1975, he held several esteemed positions in Columbia University, New York including; Columbia University Preceptor, Instructor in History and Associate Professor of History. During his tenure at Columbia, he helped to organize the Columbia-Morningside Lecture Series on African Heritage from 1968 to 1976. He was also appointed Adviser to Undergraduate History Majors at Columbia University School of General Studies; and was a member of the University Senate from 1970 to 1972. He also served as a visiting professor at various universities in the New York/New Jersey area such as; Queens College, New York University, Brooklyn College, Long Island University, Rutgers College, and City College. He then returned to Nigeria in 1976 where he taught as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History, University of Lagos until June 1982. During that time, he served in the Postgraduate Assembly which established the Post Graduate School of the University of Lagos. He was also a visiting Senior Lecturer in Economic History at the University of Ibadan from 1978 to 1979. He pioneered the teaching of African Economic History at the University of Lagos (1977 to 1982) and the University of Ibadan (1977 to 1978). He withdrew his services from the University of Lagos in 1982 to pursue a career in politics and business.
Contributions to politics and national service
Ofonagoro was a contributor on occasionally featured articles and editorials published in the Eastern Nigerian Guardian newspaper, Port Harcourt, from 1959 to 1960. He was also a frequent contributor to radio, television and newspaper discussions in the Canadian and American media. He also lectured on Africa on the Sunrise Semester program of CBS TV in New York. On his return to Nigeria in 1976, he continued his active role in media such as radio, television and newspapers. He also delivered public lectures at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru Plateau State and the Command and Staff College in Jaji, Kaduna State.
In 1979, he was appointed as Consultant Political Analyst to the Nigeria Television Authority by the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His programme Verdict 79 was an epic on the Election of 1979. The programme ended in March 1980.
He has led Federal Government Delegations to foreign countries, including a delegation to the International Symposium on the Renaissance in Sofia, Bulgaria (1981). In the same year, he led a delegation to Shipyard Split, in former Yugoslavia, to take delivery of MV River Maje on behalf of the federal government which was acquired for the Nigerian National Shipping Line. Again in October 1981, he was appointed adviser to the Nigerian delegation and member of the special political committee of the United Nations General Assembly by the federal government of Nigeria.