Senator Osita Izunaso at 60

By Chukwudi Enekwechi

There are very few men who accomplish so much in different spheres of life at almost the same time, young age and more importantly with distinction as Senator Osita Izunaso. I begin the story of narrating the journey of Distinguished Senator Bonaventure Osita Izunaso with the preceding line because he is a man who has in the last 33 years or thereabout oscillated from journalism practice, to sports administration, businessman, politician, legal practitioner and was able to cap it all as a philanthropist.

He has used his Kpakpando Foundation founded in 2006 to impact positively on 5000 vulnerable people from across the country. He has also supported them through the award of scholarships, medical outreach programmes and entrepreneurial skills development.

His compassion for the sick, vulnerable and disabled people had also inspired him to play a key advocacy role in the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and this has garnered him numerous honours from within and outside Nigeria.

Though an accomplished federal lawmaker having being a member of the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007 for the Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta/Oru west federal constituency, he has also devoted considerable attention to Nigeria’s sports growth and development, by playing a key advisory role to then Nigeria’s Minister of Youths and Sports Development between 1995 and 1998 and which culminated in the victory of Nigeria’s men Football Olympic team. Nigeria won a Gold Medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

As a member of the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007, he was the chairman of the House committee on Housing and Urban Development and in 2007 he was elected a senator for Imo West senatorial district (Orlu zone), and later returned to the senate for the second time in 2023. He is presently the chairman of the Senate committee on Capital Markets and Institutions.

As a lawmaker at the highest level in the country Senator Izunaso has always advocated for the interest of the ordinary people, but most especially people with disability and the vulnerable in the society.

Born on October 30, 1966 in the commercial city of Onitsha Anambra State, Izunaso has attained several academic feats including a bachelor’s degree in English, Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism, Barrister-at-law BL, Bachelor of Law LLB (First class), LLM and a PhD in Law.

As a lawyer he has made a significant impact among his peers by advancing the frontiers of knowledge in the law profession. For instance, Dr. Izunaso was a speaker at the Nigerian Bar Association National Conference on Tuesday 25th August, 2026 in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. He spoke on the theme: Making Nigeria’s new tax reforms work in practice to 25,000 (twenty-five thousand) lawyers from all parts of the country and beyond.

It is also worthy of note that that the conference had the following personages in attendance: His Excellency George Weah former Liberian president, Justice Amina Augie (rtd) of the Supreme Court, Former vice president of Nigeria Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), former governor of Rivers state, Rt. Hon Rotimi Chibike Amaechi, one of Nigeria’s foremost lawyers, Chief Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Chief Femi Falana (SAN) and other legal luminaries. He delivered a lecture with the topic: ‘’Making Nigeria’s new tax reforms work in practice’’.

In the area of sports development, Senator Izunaso has been the chairman of late Sam Okwaraji tournament’s steering committee and recently he unveiled the maiden First Bank Sam Okwaraji Nigeria Secondary Schools Football Championship in Owerri Imo state.

As a politician he was also the pioneer national organizing secretary of the All Progressives Congress between 2013 and 2018, and on that pedestal played a pivotal role in the victory of the party in the 2015, 2019 and 2023 general elections. As a political strategist and detribalized politician he has over the years cultivated a network of political allies and friends from across the country.

In Nigeria leadership deficit has over the years eroded societal development, but with politicians like Senator Osita Izunaso the trajectory is tilting towards programmes and projects that are affecting the people positively. And if this trend continues in his political career as it is envisaged, it is obvious that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

At the Money 2020 Middle East conference held in Saudi Arabia recently and which attracted big global financial and business players together Dr. Izunaso as a keynote speaker delved into the important role of the Dangote Refinery Initial Public Offer (IPO) and contented that it will stimulate the Nigerian and African economy by enabling ordinary Nigerians to own a chunk of the investment.

As he climbs to the sixth floor of life and given his antecedents in humanitarian affairs especially the several projects executed under the banner of his Kpakpando Foundation, posterity will judge him kindly as a prominent politician who used his privileged position to impact humanity positively.

With the hardship in the country, it behooves our political leaders to reset their minds and think out of the box towards alleviating the plight of the average Nigerian on a daily basis.

Government efforts should therefore be geared towards human capital development as well as infrastructural development. If this is done it will enable the underprivileged Nigerians to breathe and heave a sigh of relief. Perhaps Senator Izunaso’s leadership template of relating with the lowly among us and turning their lives around will be emulated by our leaders for the overall benefit of the masses.

• Enekwechi (JP), an Abuja-based journalist, writes via Kwechis19@yahoo.com

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