Biography

Who is Gideon Obhakhan

Born 21st January 1972, Hon. Gideon Osolease Obhakhan with a very humble background, began his early life in Emaudo, Ekpoma, Edo State. With a farmer, Mr Benedict Obhakhan as father and a trader, Mrs M.B.O Obhakhan as mother, life at the beginning presented its usual challenges to Gideon, but as a determined gentleman who is destined for greatness, he weathered the storm to become a force to reckon with in today’s Nigeria. For a young man who is happily married with children, and has excelled in the corporate world, personal business, politics, and the academia, it is not surprising to find many people describing him in several dimensions. While some focus on his scholarly excellence, others look at his humility, philanthropic gestures and political steadfastness. However, it is not out of place to say that Gideon cannot be described with just one word or even a sentence. His commitment to positive change in Nigeria has driven him in both his personal life and business, to continue to add value to humanity and as such has become many things to many people around him, and the society at large.

For a young man who is happily married with children, and has excelled in the corporate world, personal business, politics, and academia, it is not surprising to find many people describing him in several dimensions. While some focus on his scholarly excellence, others look at his humility, philanthropic gestures and political steadfastness. However, it is not out of place to say that Gideon cannot be described with just one word or even a sentence. His commitment to positive change in Nigeria has driven him in both his personal life and business, to continue to add value to humanity and as such has become many things to many people around him, and the society at large.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER

Gideon’s professional career has been as interesting as his exploits in education. He is someone who has excelled in his chosen career both as a high ranking personnel in multi- national organization, as well as a private business owner. His over 22 years post graduate experience spans different sectors including Telecommunications, Oil and Gas as well as Merchandising. He is an experienced strategist, a motivator with supreme self-confidence and proven ability to develop and inspire management teams in order to maximize company profitability and efficiency. He also has vast experience in leading and growing key sectors of a business to create value, deliver on strategic business objectives, and to make it a dynamic and organization.

As a young Engineering graduate, he immediately got engaged in the telecommunications industry starting with Mobltel limited, a Private Telecommunications Operator (PTO), which was one of the pioneer companies within the industry providing both fixed wireless and wireline services in Nigeria before the advent of Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM). He later joined EMIS Telecoms, another PTO to gain more knowledge and experience in another technology, in preparation for the new technology that was to change the old order to what we now refer to as the GSM revolution

As soon as GSM operators got licenses to operate in Nigeria. it did not take long for MTN Nigeria Telecommunications Ltd to employ Gideon as a Systems Planning Engineer having distinguished himself in a highly competitive and rigorous interview. As a key resource at the budding stages Of GSM technology In Nigeria, he contributed Immensely at various manageable levels towards positioning and sustaining MTN Nigeria as a market leader in the Telecommunications industry not only in Nigeria but across Africa and the Middle East. He rose through the ranks over a period of 13 years in MTN, and by the time he was resigning in 2014 to contest for elective office, he was General Manager, Network Planning, which was the highest position held by any Edo State indigene at the time.

  • While at MTN, Gideon distinguished himself as a committed Staff, winning several awards and laurels, including the following:
  • CEO Yéllo Manager Award in 2013 for excellent performance
  • Long Service Award for dedicated and valuable service to MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd
  • Network Achievers Award for strategic network deployment within challenging environments

His Major achievements at MTN include, but not limited to:

  • the transformation of MTN”s Core and Intelligent Network from a legacy network to a fully modernized next generation network. This contributed significantly to improved network performance and the sustenance of MTN’s market leadership position
  • creation of a completely new team of skilled engineers and inspiring them to develop an Innovative in house service creation platform that significantly reduced MTN ‘s spend on Value Added Services and greatly improved products’ time to market and subscriber life cycle management
  • the development of an integrated network planning for network expansion which ensured that MTN was always ahead of the game in terms of its market leadership position that it has retained till date.

When Gideon resigned from his exalted office and well paying job at MTN to Contest for the Federal House Of Representative in Esan West/Esan Central/lgueben Federal Constituency in 2015, he did not lose site of the fact that he needs to continue to grow his private business. He continued to grow his businesses within the Telecommunications sector, as well as Oil and Gas. This is because he believes that going into partisan is part of the sacrifices he has to make to contribute meaningfully to governance and societal development, and not an opportunity for self-aggrandizement or fleecing Of public funds.

POLITICAL CAREER

Gideon Obhakhan started his political journey in his early days while he was a student at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi. He contested and won the Presidency Of his departmental association in 1993. He was also very active at the University Of Benin, where he became political adviser to the Students Union Government (SUG) President in 1998. Even as a student, and as a democrat that he is, he was fully involved in the struggle for the return to democratic rule in Nigeria. This informed his decision to join the Campaign for Democracy (CD) which had the renowned Human Rights Activist Beko Ransome Kuti as its

After graduating from University, Gideon focused on building his professional career as well as deepening his knowledge academically in various fields,

In 2015, he contested the position of Federal House of Representatives to represent the people of Esan West/Esan Central/lgueben Federal Constituency under platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC). He eventually became the candidate Of the party in the 2015 general elections. The Outcome Of the election did not favour him but he remained committed to the party.

In October 2015, he was appointed as Commissioner for Education by the then governor of Edo State so he can bring his immense experience to bear in the development of the educational sector in the State. Gideon brought his experience to bear in the discharge of his duties by championing the innovative programmes of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s administration. Chief among these programmes was the Red Roof Revolution which involved the construction of new standard grade classrooms, as well as reconstruction of dilapidated Structures the entire 192 wards in Edo State

Another landmark achievement during his short time as commissioner was the innovative policy which was established to efficiently deploy teachers to teach across the Junior and senior secondary schools to optimize value derivable from their wealth of experience in specific areas. This led to cost reduction on government spending and created more value for Edo State students. In addition to these, he provided the required leadership to drive the formulation and implementation of the state’s education policies in line with national policy on Education.

Since leaving office as commissioner for Education, Gideon has continued to support APC and contributed immensely to its development. He has occupied key positions in all the elections that his party has been involved in as part Of his commitment to the success Of the party. In the last governorship election held in 2020, he was in several State Campaign Council committees which Include the following:

  • Election Research Planning and Strategy committee — Chairman
  • Sub Committee on media research — Chairman
  • Sub Committee on Outdoor advert and campaign — Vice Chairman
  • Edo Central committee on non – Edo indigenes — Chairman
  • State security committee — Member
  • Director Of research and statistics, Pastor Ize- lyamu (POI) Campaign Organisation

In the just concluded 2023 Presidential election, he played a key role in two national committees below:

  • Public Affairs Directorate, Tinubu/Shettirna Presidential Campaign Council — Secretary
  • Reconciliation Directorate, Independent Campaign Organization for Tinubu/Shettma Presidential Campaign Council –Member

EDO PROJECT

What the story of Gideon Obhakhan teaches on its first impression, is that he is an intelligent man who had come very far from a humble background, but has risen to greatness riding on the strength of his mind. He holds his convictions strongly, his loyalty is unwavering, and he speaks his truth, without mincing words, always. It is just who he is. But it is not all he is. Often, brilliant minds, in their usual devotion to intellectual matters, are only regarded in that light of academic or scholarly reputation. For Gideon Obhakhan, one man temperate but radical at the same time, there is equally a warmth and humanness to him that has, in course of his life, seen him behave uniquely and received as such. Edo Central Senatorial District has its own history, have seen various developments in their components, wards and areas. The district has produced sharp minds, produced thinkers, produced innovators. But now it produced and is experiencing the well-rounded man whose life not only influences lives but has become a bright light, a sheer force to reckon with within the district. As Edo people prepare for another round of elections to choose who leads them in 2024, it is obvious that the crown surely fits this young man called Gideon Osolease Obhakhan.

PHILANTHROPY

The life of giving and not expecting anything in return has been the life of this young man called Gideon Obhakhan. At every stage in his life he has always found a way to use his position or opportunity he has to reach out to his people and deliver value to the society that he lives in. As a high ranking officer at MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, he was able to impact positively on the lives of Edo people both in the areas of security and education. In 2014, he personally delivered 5 HiLux vehicles to the then governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. This helped tremendously in the drive to eliminate crime in Edo State. Also, as the Comrade governor embarked on the Red Roof Revolution in the education sector, Gideon supported in the delivery of state of the art furniture to selected schools in order to ensure the comfort of Edo State students and improve the standard of education in the State. He has also impacted many people through his foundation, Gideon Obhakhan Foundation. His humanitarian services through the Foundation include but not limited to helping indigent students with school fees, external examinations enrolments, providing tools for artisans, supporting market women, youth empowerment programmes, employment of qualified individuals, setting up of small and medium scale businesses for people, etc. As a commissioner, he used his position to influence the construction of international standard science laboratory in his community’s school. During the COVID-19 global pandemic lockdown, which saw businesses crumbling, and people hardly able to feed, Gideon came to the rescue by delivering relief materials including food items and other support materials to all wards in Esan West Local Government Area. The items running into millions of Naira, were distributed to traditional rulers, community heads, youth organisations, as well as the poor people within the local communities. This was a huge relief for the communities that were suffering due to the negative impact of the lockdown. He continues to reach out to people with his philanthropic gestures till date. He has never disappointed his people any time he is needed. To him, giving back to the society is a way of life and it is not time bound. He has vowed that he will continue to do this until the day he is laid to rest after an eventful journey through life.

SOCIAL LIFE

As a people’s person, Gideon’s strong selling point is his ability to relate with people generally irrespective of their social status. He relates freely with the rich and the poor in the society without discrimination. You can hardly find any person today who is a accessible as this young man.

He keeps his gate and doors open to everybody. He is one man that you do not need any invitation to go to his house. This open-heartedness and free nature has endeared him to many including the youths and the elderly within the society.