Celestine Omehia

Celestine Omehia Biography / Profile

Celestine Ngozichim Omehia was born on September 15th, 1959 at Ubima town in the then Ikwerre Ethnic Local Government Area, now Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Celestine Omehia Age

Celestine Omehia is 73 years old.

Celestine Omehia Early Life

Omehia attended St. Theresa’s Catholic School and later State School 1, Ubima from 1968 tp 1973 where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate. Between 1973 and 1978, he was a student of County Grammar School, Ikwerre-Etche where he further obtained his West African School Certificate (WASC). His quest for knowledge took him to Rivers State School of Basic Studies in 1979 and by 1980, he obtained the Advanced Level G.C.E./ I.J.M.B. certificate. He then proceeded to the United Kingdom and was a student at Manchester Polytechnic, England, now Metropolitan University, Manchester, where he bagged a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in law, between 1981 and 1984.

Omehia displayed his desire for more knowledge when, he proceeded to the University of Hull, England, in 1984 and by 1985, he had graduated with a Master's Degree (LLM) in International law. He returned to Nigeria, the land of his birth after his academic sojourn in the UK and immediately proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos, where he bagged his BL thus, qualifying as a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in 1986.

Celestine Omehia Career

Omehia's legal practice (corporate and litigation) cut across four chambers of no mean repute. They are: Segun Adegoke and Co. in Ondo State from 1986 to 1987 Owhonda-Wopara (Wabara and Co) in Port Harcourt. Rivers State, from 1988 to 1989, Reginald Nnwoka and Co. in Port Harcourt, Rivers State from 1989 to 1990 and, Celestine Omehia and Associates, Rivers State since 1990.

His other job experiences include: lecturer in law (Part time), faculty of law, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt from 1988 to 1990. And from 1991 to 1997, he was Legal Adviser and Consultant, Jubilee Insurance in Port Harcourt. He handled the same responsibility on behalf of PAMO Clinics and Hospitals, Port Harcourt, from 1991. Since 1999 however, Omehia has been Legal Director, Global Energy and Refining Limited.

While learning the rope of leadership, Omehia never discarded any opportunity to garner additional knowledge in all endeavours. So, between 2003 and 2005 he attended numerous workshops and seminars. In August 2003 he participated at retreat for top government functionaries of Rivers State held at the Port Harcourt International Airport Hotel Omagwa. In November 2003 he was also a participant at similar retreat organized by Rivers State Agency for Re-orientation, Integrity, Service and Ethics (ARISE) at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt and later in Washington DC for a workshop on Small Scale Entrepreneurs. The learning process continued in 2004 as Sir Omehia again participated in a one-week seminar for Senior Civil Servant at New York and later a participant at Leon Sullivan Summit at Abuja. He capped it up in 2005 with the workshop on Capacity Building for Local Authorities to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by UNTAR at Geneva Switzerland.

He was Executive Assistant (Administration and Inter-Religious Matters) to the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, in 2003. Special Assistant (Legal and Administrative Matters) to the Chairman, Solid Minerals Committee, Rivers State from 2001-2004; Member, Justice of the Peace (JP) of Nigeria; Member, Rivers State Community Development Blue Print and Member, Project Monitoring Sub-Committee of the Advisory Committee of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Omehia vacated the Rivers State Govt House five months after launching the State on the path of Infrastructural breakthrough following a controversial supreme court ruling over the rightful owner of the party ticket with which he prosecuted and won the election in 2007 between him and his blood cousin, Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi. Omehia is the leader of all peoples Grand Alliance (APGA) in Rivers State, the platform on which he contested the April 26, 2011 Governorship election in the state.

In June 2015, Govrnor Wike of Rivers State formally restored all the entitlements and benefits of Omehia as a former Governor of the state. Wike also formally reinstated the official portrait of Omehia amongst the line-up of former governors of the State at the Government House, Port Harcourt Executive Council Chamber.

Celestine Omehia Personal Life

As a devout Christian, Sir Omehia is married to his loving wife, Tonia and has three lovely children, Keturah, Kelachi and Kechikanma. His Hobbies are swimming and jogging.