The Chairman of the National Organising Committee of Government Secondary School Afikpo Old Boys Association (GSSAOBA), Ven. Ogbonnia Ibe-Enwo has announced the appointment of Prof. Charles Ononuju Ofoegbu as the Keynote Speaker for the GSSAOBA 2025 Homecoming Celebration. This event, set to unite alumni from around the world, will celebrate the school’s rich history, foster camaraderie, and inspire discussions on Nigeria’s scientific and economic future.
Ibe-Enwo said that ‘it is a privilege to introduce him (Ofoegbu) to the brotherhood’.
Ofoegbu is an accomplished alumnus of Government Secondary School Afikpo, Ebonyi State. He is both a clinician of geophysical sciences and an academician with more than 160 peer-reviewed articles and books to his credit.
Currently, he serves as Chairman of Anambra State Petroleum and Energy Resources Limited and Managing Director/CEO of Anambra State Solid Minerals Development Company Limited. A prominent Nigerian geophysicist and academic, he was recently honoured with the Gold Award by the Senate of the University of Abuja during its 84th Extra-Ordinary Session.
Ofoegbu laid the foundation for his illustrious career at Government Secondary School Afikpo. He completed his studies with distinction and pursued higher education at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, earning his Bachelor’s Degree, followed by an MSc and PhD in Applied Geophysics from the University of Durham, United Kingdom, in 1982, completing both advanced degrees in less than three years.
His professional journey began as a Geophysicist at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), before transitioning to academia, where he has been a full Professor of Applied Geophysics for over 30 years.
Ofoegbu’s tentacles extend beyond academia; he has held numerous apical positions, including Special Adviser on Mineral Resources and Environmental Protection for Abia State, Head of Exploration Research at NNPC, Director-General/CEO of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute, Chairman of the National Think Tank on Solid Minerals, Project Director/Vice Chancellor of Veritas University (Catholic University of Nigeria), Gast Professor in Mathematical Geophysics at Freie Universität Berlin, Visiting Professor at the National Universities Commission, Professor of Geophysics and Director of the Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, and Past President of the Nigerian Institute of Physics.
Ofoegbu has also served as Executive Director at A-Z Petroleum Limited and Rimco Mining Company Limited, overseeing operations in multiple African countries, and as a consultant to various state governments on solid minerals development. He is a Fellow and member of several international and national professional bodies, including Fellow of the Geological Society of London, Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Physics, and Life Member of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, among others.
Ofoegbu has contributed to numerous government technical committees, such as the National Technical Committee on Earthquake Phenomena (where he served as Member and Secretary), the Presidential Committee on Earth Tremors, and the Steering Committee for the Revision of the National Science and Technology Policy. He has been a key figure in international scientific committees, including those for seminars on earthquake prognostics in Berlin and Bangkok.
A recipient of several awards and honours, Ofoegbu is married and has children. He continues to influence Nigeria’s mineral, energy, and environmental policies.
GSSAOBA’s National President, Sir Ifeanyi Eleje said: ‘We are honoured to have Prof. Ofoegbu grace our 2025 Homecoming Celebration. His remarkable achievements embody the excellence that Government Secondary School Afikpo instils in its students, and his insights will undoubtedly enrich our gathering’.
The GSSAOBA 2025 Homecoming Celebration promises engaging sessions, reunions, and forward-looking dialogues.
GSSAOBA is a vibrant network of alumni dedicated to preserving the legacy of one of Nigeria’s premier secondary schools, promoting professional development, and supporting educational initiatives.
