The Story Of My Life By Prof Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi

Professor Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi is a native of Umulogho in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo state.

A Professor of Safety & Environment, Prof Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi has been working in the oil & gas industry for the past 34 years and still counting.

He is equally a Lecturer in some tertiary institutions in Nigeria and abroad.

He currently lectures at Triune Biblical University, Global Extension, USA.

In this exclusive interview with Openlife Nigeria, the foremost and award winning Nigerian professor of Safety and Environment, Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi speaks about his early life, his academic life, commitment & dedication and the importance of preserving the environment.

Openlife Nigeria: Tell Us About The Journey Of Your Successful Career.

Prof Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi: The journey of my life has been with so many obstacles, especially, during my childhood days. I lost my father in 1981 to the cold hands of death. My father was in the mortuary when my JAMB result came out, but there was no one to foot my academic bills. After my father’s burial, I was told to go and learn a handiwork as a mechanic, after which my late sister Angela ( may her soul rest in peace) would be betrothed to an elderly man in marriage. Her supposed dowry was to be used to buy mechanic tools and pay for a store rent to enable me practice my trade. It was then that it dawned on me that I may not realize the burning academic ambition in me.

So, I had to leave the village for Lagos to join my mother’s younger brother, Mr Julius Emefo who took good care of me and enrolled me into the Nigerian Institute of Journalism at Ijaiye, Ogba in Lagos State.

I joined a popular security company then named Vanni International security, as a security guard.

So what I do is to study during day time and turn to security guard at night.

It was a very pathetic, harrowing and terrific experience for me. During morning hours, you would see traces of mosquito bites all over my body. It was a nightmarish experience I would not forget in a hurry.

When I finished my Diploma program, the hunger for more academic heights was still burning in me, so I continued without looking back till I got married in 1992.

No one in my immediate family could give account of how I acquired all the academic laurels that are obviously celebrated today.

All praise to the Almighty GOD, who kept and preserved me till today . I did not allow my father’s death to rock my academic ambitions. As at today, I have 2 post graduate degrees, 1 Masters degree, 2 doctorate degrees and presently pursing my third doctorate degree. I equally have one honorarium doctorate degree bestowed on me by United Nations POLAC as a Peace Ambassador.

Openlife Nigeria: You Worked In An Oil And Gas Company For So Many Years, How Does It Connect To What You Do Currently?

Prof Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi : I am still working in the oil & gas industry and still lecturing on part time basis. I have just few years to quit the oil & gas industry. I have spent close to 34 years in the oil & gas industry as Health , Safety & Environmental Specialist.

The oil & gas industry has prepared me seriously to face some challenges as I shall soon veer into full time lecturing. I am going to impart the knowledge I garnered these years from the oil & gas industry into the youths or students that I lecture.

Safety & Environment is the real deal now all over the world, so I would advise parents and guardians to allow their wards to pursue full time courses on Safety & Environment at tertiary level.

READ ALSO: Global Climate Change: An Existential Threat To The Environment & Mankind By Prof Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi

Openlife Nigeria:  Any Challenges Encountered Since You Took Your Current Position?

Prof Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi: Of course there are challenges here and there. But I don’t see them as challenges, I see them as ” joyful troubles”, because it would help you advance and expose you to new things which apparently would tingle and excite your intellectual capacity and would ultimately, bring out the best in you.

Since I received my full professional seat, I have been inundated with calls from prospective students on the best way to veer into safety & environment.

Another thing worthy of mention here is that many media houses look for me to talk in their radio and television stations. At times, I see myself as a beautiful bride being wooed by media houses and I enjoy it a lot. At this juncture, I must appreciate the entire crew of DRTV Delta state for giving me my real first baptism of fire in broadcast journalism.

I must equally appreciate our general Const Supts ( Engr Henry Ohondor & his alternate Engr Godson Ajaero ) . I must mention my direct Supts ( Fidelis Owunna & Bosun Ajayi for their encouragements . Finally I must appreciate my direct bosses ( Sanusi Adebayo & Mike Ogunbor) for always being there for me.

Openlife Nigeria: All around us are companies producing harmful gaseous emissions. How do we reduce the production of these greenhouse emissions?

Prof Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi: You are right.

A lot of companies and factories are producing carbon emissions on daily basis.

If you go to some flow stations, you would see the flaring of gas which should have been turned into real use and generated money to our national economy.

MOCs and industries should emulate companies like Chevron, ExxonMobil and Total elfina ,etc.

Now in Chevron, we have the EGTL ( Escravos Gas to Liquid) project, where natural gas is compressed into liquid and sold to generate more income to this nation.

Flaring is almost a thing of the past in Chevron. Chevron cares much about the environment and that is why I would advise you to visit the Lekki conservation park or garden. ExxonMobil on their part are doing really good in the reduction of carbon emissions with about few MOCs in this nation.

Other companies, factories and industries should emulate the Chevron way of protecting the environment.

Secondly, the regulatory bodies should up their game by making companies or factories that continues generated carbon footprints or emissions in excess to pay heavily for it.

This would go a long way to make other companies, factories or industries to sit up and reduce carbon emissions in our environment.

Of recent, we have been receiving complaints from Port Harcourt axis about sooth that is pervading the atmosphere on daily basis. Sooth is unburned hydrocarbons coming out in the form of sooth . At times it contains benzene which is very lethal to our health, and this is what some people breathe in on daily basis around the environment.

Openlife Nigeria:  What Are The Achievements You Have Made In Your Field So Far?

Prof Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi: I have made some remarkable achievements in my chosen profession in the oil & gas industry, spanning over a period of 34 years.

The achievements in Safety & Environment could be summed up as follows:

• Clocked 5 million manhours without any recordable incident or LTI @ Franti Nig Ltd, NISSCO, ETC.

• Trained close to 5,000 students in the higher institutions in Nigeria on pro bono basis during students Engineering week, e.g., Auchi Polytechnic, Ambrose Ali University, Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun.

• Trained close to 2750 members of some churches on basics of Domestic Safety Awareness (Pro bono services).

• I am running a Radio & Television program titled “Safety & Environment Corner” at Delta Broadcasting Services, Edjeba, Warri.

• I have written a lot of research papers on Safety & Environment, which students in higher institutions of learning use a reference point for their academic work.

 

Other initiatives/ achievements/milestones are as follows:

• Won the Best Behavioral Safety award (BBS) in Chevron, 2004.

• Won Best HSE Officer award from Noble Drilling MD, USA, in 2001.

• Won award during ACI Conference at Accra Ghana on a paper I presented titled “Global Climate Change: A View in our Environment in 2019.

• Awarded Safeer Ambassador plenipotentiary by World Safety Organization in USA.

• Won an award as Best TV/ Radio program from DRTV, Warri.

• Wrote a book on “Basics of Industrial Safety – Volume1.

Openlife Nigeria: Being A Busy Person, How Do You Create A Balance Between Your Personal Life, Family And Work?

Prof Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi: Busy is an understatement. At times, I forget about eating food because I want to achieve one goal or the other, unless I am severely battered and mesmerized by hunger. (Laughs).

My wife will at times shut down my computer and drag me to the ” other room” for safety reasons.

But I have been coping somehow with this busy schedule. Once in a while, I take my family out and spoil them a little. I am a very lucky man with a wonderful wife, married for about 29 years or probably going to 30 years now. I am happily married to Dr Mrs Ngozi Gift Ndubuisi ( a retired Shell staff) and blessed with two lovely twin daughters – Chioma Melody ( Banker / Hollywood diva) and Dr Marvellous Chimgozirim ( a medical doctor and Oncologist Specialist).

Professor Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi and his wife, Dr. Mrs Vera Ngozi Gift Okeke

Then I have my troublesome ” girlfriend ” Miss Amanda Fumfum who happens to be my last daughter and the charismatic Ezeafulukwe 1 of Obowo – King David Gerald Ebube himself. I am a complete family man and firm believer of ” democracy of the stomach”, which is three square nourished meals a day.

Openlife Nigeria: Finally, What Are Your Hobbies?

Prof Okeke Gerald Ndubuisi: My hobbies are football, writing and reading.
I love to watch football matches a lot. My favorite team is Enyimba football club Aba.