Dr Cairo Ojougboh Biography
Dr Cairo Ojougboh was a former member of the House of Representatives who represented the Ika federal constituency of Delta State, Nigeria. He was also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a medical doctor, and a gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 election.
Sadly, he passed away on Wednesday, February 8, 2024, while watching the AFCON semi-final match between Nigeria and South Africa.
He reportedly slumped and died after a penalty kick was awarded against Nigeria. He was 64 years old. May his soul rest in peace.
Dr Cairo Ojougboh Early Life and Education
Dr Cairo Ojougboh was born on September 8, 1959 in Ika South, Delta State, to Chief Corlenso Ojougboh and Mrs Angelina Ojougboh. He attended Pilgrims Baptist Primary School from 1966 to 1971, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC).
He then graduated from St. Columba’s Grammar School (now Gbenoba Grammar School) in 1976 with a Senior Secondary School Certificate.
He pursued higher education at Auchi Polytechnic (now Federal Polytechnic, Auchi) between 1978 and 1979, but later switched to University of Benin, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree in 1985. He was a medical doctor by profession before he ventured into politics.
Dr Cairo Ojougboh Career
Dr Cairo Ojougboh had a remarkable career in both medicine and politics. He worked as a medical officer at the Federal Medical Centre in Asaba, Delta State, from 1986 to 1989.
He established his own private hospital, Cairo Specialist Hospital, in Agbor, Delta State, in 1989. He joined politics in 1998 and became a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He was elected as a member of the House of Representatives for the Ika federal constituency of Delta State in 2003 and served until 2007.
He was appointed as the Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters in 2007 and served until 2010.
He was the Deputy National Chairman of the Sen. Ali Modu-Sherif faction of the PDP from 2016 to 2017. He defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2017 and became a prominent leader of the party in Delta State.
He was appointed as the Executive Director of Projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2019 and served until 2020.
He contested for the governorship of Delta State in the 2019 election under the APC platform, but lost to the incumbent governor, Ifeanyi Okowa of the PDP.
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Dr Cairo Ojougboh Wife and Children
Dr Cairo Ojougboh was married to Mrs. Stella Ojougboh, who is also a medical doctor and the founder of Stella Ojougboh Foundation, a non-governmental organization that provides health care and empowerment to women and children.
They had four children together: two sons and two daughters. Their names are Chukwuma, Chukwudumebi, Chukwunyere, and Chukwuka. They are all successful professionals in their respective fields.
Dr Cairo Ojougboh was a loving husband and father who cherished his family dearly. He once said, “My wife and children are my greatest assets and I thank God for them every day”.
Dr Cairo Ojougboh’s Death
Dr Cairo Ojougboh’s death was a tragic and shocking event that occurred on Wednesday, February 8, 2024, while he was watching the AFCON semi-final match between Nigeria and South Africa. According to the news reports, he slumped and died after a penalty kick was awarded against Nigeria. He was 64 years old.
Dr Cairo Ojougboh Net Worth
Dr Cairo Ojougboh had an estimated net worth of $4.5 million as at when he died.
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Dr Cairo Ojougboh Controversies
Dr Cairo Ojougboh was a controversial figure in Nigerian politics, who was involved in several scandals and conflicts.
He was accused of being part of the cabal that hijacked the presidency of Umaru Yar’Adua in 2010, when the latter was critically ill and unable to perform his duties. He was also alleged to have plotted to remove the then Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, from office.
He was suspended from the PDP in 2016 for supporting the faction led by Sen. Ali Modu-Sherif, who was embroiled in a leadership tussle with the then National Chairman, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi. He later defected to the APC in 2017, after the Supreme Court affirmed Makarfi as the authentic leader of the PDP.
He was appointed as the Executive Director of Projects of the NDDC in 2019, but faced allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds. He was accused of receiving N6.25 billion as COVID-19 palliatives, which he denied. He also claimed to have uncovered a N40 billion fraud in the NDDC, which he blamed on the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio.
He opened a mansion in Abuja six months into his juicy NDDC appointment in 2020, which raised eyebrows among Nigerians. He defended his action, saying he built the house with his personal funds and not from the NDDC.
