Christopher Pere Ajuwa

Christopher 'Pere' Ajuwa (23 November 1941 – 31 January 2017) was the first man from the Niger Delta region of Nigeria to run for the office of the President of Nigeria.

Christopher Pere Ajuwa was born on 23 November 1941 to the families of High Chief Pa Ogongolo Vurudu Ajuwa of the Egbesubiri Quarter, and Chief Ma Mrs. Rachael Diriayefa Ajuwa and Erubiri Quarter of Gbaranraun kingdom, in Local Government Area of Southern Ijaw located in the State of Bayelsa.

The Gbaranraun Kingdom is one of the prominent Kingdoms among the Ijaw people in the Niger Delta, South Nigeria and is a major contributor to the economy of the nation.

Pere's birth is considered by locals a sign of a miracle and was spoken of as though shrouded by mystery.

It was reported, that Pere's mother fell into maternity labour while fishing, and in the absence of a midwife she gave birth to him in her canoe.

Accordingly, that fateful day Rachael Diriayefa Ajuwa caught her biggest fish ever and she called her newborn son ‘Pere’ which is literally translated to mean “Wealth” in English.

Pere attended Ade Oshodi, a primary school in Western-Nigeria, from 1954 to 1960 and earned his First School Leaving Certificate.

From 1961 to 1964, he proceeded to Stella Maris College, Okitipupa, in Ondo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Unfortunately, due to lack of funds, Pere was not able to complete his schooling at Stella Maris College probably.

His quest for learning did not stop, he found means to attended Government College Technical College Ijebu-Ode, Yaba Trade Centre, Lagos and he earned his City and Guide Intermediate in 1968.

Afterwards, in the late 1970s, Pere was at Worcester University, the United Kingdom studying Structural Engineering and other engineering courses and he became British certified Technical Structural Engineer in early 1980.

In the early 1970s he played for Western State Corporation Football Club and Research Institute of Nigeria Football Club all in Ibadan Western Nigeria.

Pere was referred to as a must-watch-player on the soccer field and considered a great player.

He went on to win laurels with those clubs.

Throughout life, he continued to enjoy an active life of tennis, swimming and boat-racing.

Prior to getting married, Pere was a man many parts.

He fathered seven children out of wedlock.

However, in 1972, while attending Yaba Technical College, Pere met Helen Kemi Olayiwola, a daughter of Akandi Olayiwola, from Ibadan.

They married in 1974.

He fathered thirteen children with Helen Kemi Olayiwola and was happily married with Helen to his death.

As a father, he was manifestly strong disciplinarian and he imbibed in his children the tenants of hard work and obedience to constituted authority.

As a child, Pere was christened in the Catholic Church.

He later converted to the Pentecostal faith and became a member of Christ Apostolic Church.

He then left Nigeria and to attend Yaba Technical College at University of Glasgow, Scotland where he earned his Advanced Technological Certificates in 1975.

He was an astute businessman during the 1980s and 1990s, and was best known for his humanitarian benefactions.

Christopher 'Pere' Ajuwa was born in the state of Bayelsa, located in South Nigeria, in the Niger Delta regions.

He was a successful businessman, philanthropist, and politician.

In the late 80s, Pere was the first Niger Deltan in Nigerian modern national history to dare the dangerous political waters of the country of Nigeria.

He campaigned and advocated fearlessly across the length and breadth of Nigeria advocating for the need of his region's people, the Ijaws.

He felt the people are from the Niger Delta region, which produces a sizable amount of revenue that sustains the well-being of the Nigerian state, should greater say and benefit fairly from the vast resources their region provide.

Chief Pere Ajuwa supported every genuine effort of the Ijaw people to be properly recognized and be accorded their pride of place politically, economically, and in other areas of human endeavour by using his personal resources to fight for the political and economic emancipation of the minorities of the South-South, especially his tribesmen and women, who had suffered years of neglect and deprivation from the activities of oil companies.

In the early 1980s he attended the Deeper Life Bible Church at Rumuodara town, Rivers State.

Eventually, in 1993 Pere entered the presidential primaries against Alhaji Bashir Tofa under the party platform of National Republican Convention (NRC).

Subsequently, in 2003 and 2007, he ran for president of Nigeria against President Muhammadu Buhari (2015-2019) under the party platform of All Nigeria People Party (ANPP).

Though Pere did not win either of the elections, his zeal and dogmatic spirit did pave way for many young politicians from the Niger Delta to aspire for the office the President of Nigeria.

He was a man of affluence, and a benefactor to many souls from the Niger Delta and beyond.

Throughout his life, Pere stuck to the tradition and culture of his Izon kinsmen.

Then in 2006, Pere went a step further and earned a master's degree in Business Administration at the Ekiti State University.

During his school years, Pere was considered a sensational soccer athlete.

Chief Dr. Christopher Pere Ajuwa died in 2017 in Port Harcourt at the age of 76.