K. O. Mbadiwe Biography, Education, Career, Controversies, And Death

Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe (1915–1990) was a prominent Nigerian nationalist, politician, statesman, and government minister during the Nigerian First Republic. During the Nigerian Civil War, he served as a Biafran Roving Ambassador.

K. O. Mbadiwe Profile

Name	K. O. Mbadiwe
Real Name	Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe
Date of Birth	1915
Date of Death	1990 (75 years)
State of Origin	Imo State
Tribe	Igbo
Nationality	Nigerian
Occupation	Nationalist, Politician and Statesman
Religion	Christianity
Marital Status	Married
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Educational Background

Mbadiwe was born in 1915 in Oneh, Orlu Division, into the family of Mbadiwe Odum, with his uncle, Igwegbe Odum, serving as a warrant chief during the colonial era. He began his primary education at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Port Harcourt and completed it at a government school in Aba.

He then attended the Hope Waddell Training Institute in Calabar, Aggrey Memorial College in Arochukwu, Igbobi College in Lagos, and the Baptist Academy in Lagos, where he was contemporaries with notable figures such as Samuel Akintola and Taslim Elias. After his secondary education, Mbadiwe ventured into trading, founding the Mbadiwe Produce Association in 1937. He later moved to the United States to study at Columbia University and New York University. While in the U.S., he helped establish an African student’s association, which brought him to the attention of U.S. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Career

Upon returning to Nigeria, Mbadiwe established another business and a research institute on African Arts. He joined the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) and was elected to the Eastern Region House of Assembly in 1951. In 1954, he was re-elected and appointed Minister for Lands and National Resources.

He later served as Minister for Commerce (1955–1957) and Minister for Trade and Communications. However, his political career faced challenges when he and Kola Balogun attempted to remove Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as NCNC leader in 1958. Mbadiwe founded The Daily Telegraph newspaper as a protest organ but eventually rejoined the NCNC. During the Biafran secession, he was appointed as a Roving Ambassador by Biafran President Odumegwu Ojukwu, serving until the end of the civil war.

Controversies

Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe’s political career was marked by significant controversies, including his attempt to depose Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as leader of the NCNC in 1958, which led to political turmoil within the party. He established The Daily Telegraph to support his cause but eventually rejoined the NCNC.

His frequent political realignments caused friction with various factions. Additionally, his role as a Roving Ambassador for Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War was controversial due to the conflict’s severe impact. These controversies underscore the complex and contentious nature of his political life.

Personal Life

Mbadiwe was married and had six children: Betty, Greg, Paul, Chris, George, and Francis. His brother, James Green Mbadiwe, was a businessman in Northern Nigeria, known for owning Green’s Hotel in Kaduna. Mbadiwe built and resided in the Palace of The People at Ndianiche Uno, commissioned by Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in 1965.

K. O. Mbadiwe Net Worth

Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe’s net worth is not precisely documented. However, his significant business ventures, political influence, and ownership of notable properties such as the Palace of The People suggest that he was a man of considerable means. 

Death

Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe passed away in 1990.