FULL NAME: Olisa Metuh DATE OF BIRTH:
OCCUPATION: Politician, Lawyer.
MARITAL STATUS: Married
INTRODUCTION
Olisa Metuh is a Nigerian Lawyer, Politician and as of 2016 the curent National Publicity Secretary of the People's Democratic Party.
EARLY LIFE AND BACKGROUND
Born to a fourth generation law officer, Chief J.N. Metuh, Olisa is from Otolo Nnewi in Anambra State. He grew up in a Christian family of six children raised under the strict doctrine of Catholicism both in principle and in practice. His father was a foremost legal attorney, strict disciplinarian, community activist, philanthropist, and a life coach. His mother (who died at a very young age) was a model headmistress and devout catholic.
Olisa Metuh had his primary school education in Abakaliki and secondary education at the premier Christ the Kings College (CKC) Onitsha. After successfully completing his secondary education, he was admitted into the Ivy League University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu campus where he graduated with a degree in Law. Olisa was called to the bar in 1988 after completing the Nigerian law school and served in the Ministry of Justice in River State for his National Youth Service corp.
He started his law practice in his father’s law firm, Olisianunba Chambers. However, in 1990, he went on to start a partnership firm, Metuh, Okafor & Associates with four other lawyers in the prestigious Western House in Lagos and subsequently became the managing solicitor. The firm was one of the pioneers of modern corporate law practice and had all outfits fully computerized. They aggressively represented major first generation banks and public quoted companies. In addition many notable Nigerians and other private companies retained the services of this young and thriving law firm as their reputation grew.
In 1991 Olisa became the chairman of Legend Properties Limited, a property management firm in active real estate business till date. His interest in capital market and share acquisition dated back to 1990 when he started trading with his own money and by 1992, he became registered as an Investment Adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and was active with the Nigerian Stock Exchange. His success in the stock market awakened the interest of many of his peers in this field.
In 1996, he started his own Law Firm, Olisa Metuh and Co and provided many young lawyers the opportunity to provide services in legal practice, real estate and share acquisitions and other investments in the capital market. He is a member of Nigerian Bar Association, International Bar Association, and Association of Business Lawyers of Nigeria. Barrister Olisa Metuh started his political career in 1998 as the Director of an organization called the Igbo United Congress (IUC). He was also a member of the finance committee of People’s National Forum (PNF) the umbrella body that facilitated the integration of Southeasterners into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Olisa along with many young progressives led the New Era Movement into PDP. He became a pioneer member of the national finance committee of the PDP.
POLITICAL CAREER
In November 1999 at the first National Convention of the PDP, Olisa contested and won election as an Ex-Officio member of the highest ruling organ, National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP. He was and still remains one of the youngest officers to be elected in the history of the party.
Subsequently he was made the first Youth Leader of the Southeast zone. Efficiently combining the many duties of a NEC member and Zonal Youth Leader highlighted the many talents of Olisa Metuh as he actively projected the plights of the Southeast with his novel programmes such as the Southeast reconciliation and rehabilitation Action Committee (SERRAC). As the chairman of SERRAC, he involved many of the present generation of Igbo leaders in activism, most of who are now occupying positions at the highest level in the Executive and Legislative arm of the government both at the national and state levels. One of the many successes of SERRAC was the submission of the Southeast reconstruction bill to the national assembly in 2001; this bill was modeled after the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
At the national level of the PDP, Olisa Metuh acted as the Secretary of the National Peace and Reconciliatory Committee of the PDP in the year 2000.
In 2001 he was re-elected as an Ex- Officio member of the NEC at the national convention. In 2002, he became the Chairman of the Cross River State Electoral Panel. In 2005, he was made a member of the PDP reform committee and PDP constitutional amendment committee, one of the 14-man panel that was charged with the duty of reviewing and making recommendations for the party’s constitutional amendments. It is worthy of note that the constitution that was adopted after that exercise is still the constitution of the party till date. He was subsequently re-elected as a member of National Executive Committee in the PDP National Convention of the party in 2005.
In 2006, Olisa was appointed the Chairman of Abia State Electoral Panel and supervised all the primaries in Abia State. Olisa was made a National Auditor in 2007 and automatically became a member of the National Working Committee. In 2008, he contested and won election as the National Vice Chairman of the Party for southeast zone. As the National Vice Chairman for southeast, he has pioneered party members and elected officers in the zone to work in cohesion at all levels.
It is important to note that Mr. Olisa Metuh is the longest and the youngest serving elected member of national executive committee of the PDP. This is quite remarkable as well as exceptional in view of the fact that southeast zone where he represents ranks highest in petition writings, court injunctions and actions, frivolous and false publications of various nature, resignations of national officers from the zone due to one allegation or another. The traditional ruler of Ancient kingdom of Nnewi, His Royal Highness Igwe Kenneth Orizu in recognition of his many achievements and contributions to his community conferred the title of Ugochidebelu Nnewi on him making him one of the youngest Nnewi sons to be conferred with such honor.
Chief Olisa Metuh is married to Kanayo Olisa Metuh and the family is blessed with three beautiful children Derrick, Chidera and Chidiogo. When Chief Olisa Metuh is not engaged in political activities, he spends quality time with his family.
He began his political career as the coordinator of the Igbo United Congress. While serving in that capacity, he was also a member of the finance committee of People’s National Forum (PNF). He served as a pioneer member of the national finance committee of the People's Democratic Party. On November 1999, at the first National Convention of the PDP, he was elected as Ex-Officio member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party. He later acted as the Secretary of the National Peace and Reconciliatory Committee of the party for two years.In 2002, he was appointed as the Chairman of the Cross River State Electoral Panel. He was later appointed as member of the People's Democratic Party constitution review panel. In 2006, he became the Chairman of Abia State Electoral Panel and also took part in the supervision of all the primaries in Abia State. In 2007, he was appointed as National Auditor and member of the party's National Working Committee (NWC)
He was later elected as the National Vice Chairman of the Party for Southeast zone. He his currently serving as the National Publicity Secretary of the People's Democratic Party
CONTROVERSIES
In January 5th, 2016, Olisa Metuh was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, answering questions regarding some fund (Arms Deal) said to have been traced to his firm. As of January 14th, 2016, he was still under the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Acting Chairman of the EFCC Mr. Ibrahim Magu revealed that Mr. Metuh refused to accept the accusation, while others begun the process of refunding the money in their possession, Mr. Metuh had refused to do same.
”From the records, Metuh got over N400 million, he has not said anything because we need the public money to be returned so that it’s going to be used for public good,” Mr. Magu said during a meeting with online media publishers in Lagos.
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| Olisa's portrait |
SOURCES: abangmercy.wordpress.com, wikipedia.org, takemetonaija.com
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