05/08/2025
Leadership, Values, and Service: Onuigbo Reflects on 43 Years as Fellow of ICSAN (UK) and NIM (Chartered)
By Einstein Chukwu
In an era where leadership often bows to convenience, Rep. Sir Sam Onuigbo’s 43-year journey in administration, politics, and global advocacy offers a refreshing testimony to values, commitment, and well-earned distinction.
His early academic formation at Alvan Ikoku College of Education in 1983, where he obtained a National Certificate in Education, laid the groundwork for a career steeped in discipline and learning. He went on to earn a Diploma in Law from the University of Lagos and an MBA from Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
However, it was not merely academic degrees that shaped Onuigbo’s path—it was a deliberate pursuit of leadership excellence. He trained at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, refining his skills on the exercise of effective leadership. Further capacity-building at the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute, Public Affairs Council, and ASIS International deepened his expertise in diplomacy, public affairs, and strategic governance.
These credentials, while impressive, are only a small part of his larger story. For 18 years, Onuigbo served with distinction at the United States Embassy in Nigeria, culminating as Supervisory Fraud Prevention Specialist. In that role, he received multiple meritorious honour awards from the U.S. Department of State, an unusual feat for a Nigerian public servant.
His transition into public office was both natural and impactful. From Special Adviser to the Speaker of the House of Representatives to Commissioner for Lands and later Finance in Abia State, Onuigbo consistently merged administrative skills with people-focused policies.
He brought this same principle-driven style into the National Assembly. As Chair of the House Committee on Climate Change, he defied the politics of convenience. After the initial version of his Climate Change Bill was denied presidential assent, Onuigbo reintroduced a reworked version, which was eventually passed and assented to an Act of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on November 17, 2021. That victory marked Nigeria’s first legal framework on climate governance.
International recognition soon followed. In 2019, he was elected Vice-President (Africa) of GLOBE International’s Board, where he has amplified Africa’s climate priorities on the world stage. His unveiling by the New York-based Business Insider’s 30 Top Global Leaders in climate action in November 2023 affirmed his influence as a continental voice for environmental stewardship.
In the same year, his legislative contributions earned him a place in the National Assembly MVP Hall of Fame, an elite recognition given to only five lawmakers from 469 legislators of the 9th Assembly.
Similarly, on November 28, 2023, the Nigerian 10th House of Representatives recognised him as a Worthy Ambassador of the House in recognition of his national and global accomplishments.
Yet, beyond awards and titles, Rep. Onuigbo’s greatest asset is perhaps his value system. Throughout his career, he has aligned competence with integrity, rare traits in today’s leadership landscape.
His professional affiliations reinforce his rootedness in ethical governance. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, London, and the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered), as well as a member of ASIS International in Virginia, USA. His role as Patron of the Umuahia Chapter of NIM further reflects his commitment to nurturing the next generation of ethical leaders.
Currently serving as the South-East representative on the Governing Board of the North-East Development Commission, Onuigbo chairs the Committee on Security, Climate Change, and Special Interventions, a fitting role for a man who has always stood at the intersection of policy, action, and conscience.
The "reward for hard work is more work,” and true to Onuigbo’s philosophy, “I’m not a man of cars or buildings; I focus on developing people," today, that hard work has paid off. Having been a dedicated member of this prestigious Institute for 43 years, Onuigbo was inducted as a Fellow of the Institute in 2012. Now, after more than four decades of steadfast commitment, he is being honoured with a prestigious award in recognition of his enduring service, values-driven leadership, and professional excellence.
In a nation constantly searching for exemplary models of public service, Sam Onuigbo offers more than memory, he offers a living template of what is possible when leadership is anchored in service, guided by values, and pursued with purpose.
As Nigeria prepares for its next generation of policymakers, administrators, and change agents, it would do well to reflect on the kind of legacy Rep. Onuigbo represents: one forged not in populism or opportunism, but in consistency, sacrifice, and a clear vision of the common good.
