APOSTLE SAMSON NYECHE OGBU

Apostle Samson Nyeche Ogbu was born on the 19^Th of September, 1948 to Mr. Shadrach and Madam Margaret Ogbu of the Rumukpalukuozu family of Oroworukwo, Rebisi, in Port-Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria.

Young Samson lost his father at the tender age of eleven. This affected his desire for Education to the extent that he struggled through Primary School. First, in 1961 he had to go and live with Mr. and Mrs. Orupabo who, then resident in Lagos, took him in and enrolled him into Primary School. There, he managed to attain Education up to Primary 4. He then returned to Port-Harcourt to continue his Primary School. As he was preparing to sit for his Primary Six Exams In 1967, the Nigerian Civil War broke out, resulting in the closure of schools.

In 1968, when the Federal troops entered into Port-Harcourt, Apostle Ogbu escaped with his mother and siblings to the Eastern part of the Country, thereby becoming a refugee. They had to do menial jobs to survive.

In the early days of 1969, he was conscripted into the Biafran Army. And after weeks of training, he was posted to the fronts where he lost some of his comrades at arms. But God mercifully kept him all through the war. Then came 1970 when the war ended. He gladly returned to Port-Harcourt together with his mother and siblings.

On arriving back home, they found themselves in a refugee situation again. His neighbours (kinsmen), thinking the war had consumed them, took over their house and built on their lands. This again created stumbling Blocks in the way of the Education loving young Samson’s desire to return to school. He was left with no option than to urgently look for a job in order for him to be able to quickly put up a house where his mother, step-mother and siblings could live in. With God’s help, he was able to accomplish that dream between 1971 and 1977.

In 1978, Apostle Ogbu became a professional Driver and ran shuttles taking passengers between the Port-Harcourt International Airport and various destinations. This was his main stay till the year 1981 when he married his wife, Deaconess Mrs. Peace Ogbu. Through the grace and providence of God, his proficiency in his humble profession as a Driver

would open doors for him after his marriage, giving him the opportunity to work in high-net companies such as;

The African Oil-Fields Supplies & Services;
The Pan-African Airlines; and
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

He was with the NNPC, a behemoth and Brand to reckon with in the global Oil Industry, until he received the call to serve in the Lord’s vineyard.

The journey to the apogee of Ecclesiastical calling began for Apostle Ogbu in the year 1990 at the ‘’historic’’ UGBEZE Conference of the Church where he was called to the office of Pastor through the Founder of the Church, the Elect of God, Apostle Joseph Ikechiuku of the most Blessed memory. Until his call to the ministry, he was an Elder at the Elekahia Branch of the Church. Elekahia, the lone Branch of the St. Joseph’s Chosen Church of God in the entire Rivers state at the time, started from Apostle Ogbu’s compound at Oroworukwo in 1984, the very year he joined the Church. When The Lord through His mighty and miraculous deeds multiplied the membership of the Church while it was still there, this necessitated the relocation to its present and permanent site. That is how the Branch, present day Regional Headquarters in Rivers State, was born. And with God continuing to water the seed, Branches have sprouted from this tree to other parts of Rivers state which now boasts fourteen Branches to the glory of God.

After the call, Apostle Ogbu came down to Benin and started his training under the tutelage of Apostle Joseph Ikechiuku. It was while he was in this ministerial training that he wrote to the NNPC to resign his appointment with them. He continued his Pastoral training until 1993 when he was posted to the global Headquarters of the Church at Sokponba Road. Two years later in 1995, he was formally ordained just after the Annual Conference of the Church that year. He continued as Pastor of the Headquarters’ Branch until 1997 when he was posted to Irrua as District Supervisor in charge of the whole of Esan land.

In 1998, the Lord again through His Servant the Founder of the Church, Apostle Ikechiuku, promoted the then Pastor Samson Ogbu to the rank of Apostle at the Annual General Conference of the Church at Umuahia. In the year 2000, with Apostle Hayford Ikponmwonsa Alile who took over from Apostle Ikechiuku who had passed on two years before as Spiritual Leader, he was ordained Apostle together with his contemporaries with whom he constituted the class of the second generation of Apostles, namely Apostle Bernard Opukeme Nigeria Tikpa, Apostle Simon Sunday Azubuike, and Apostle Wilfred Agbontaen.

POSTINGS AND DESIGNATIONS

As mentioned above, Apostle Ogbu has served in various capacities some of which are outlined below;

Minister in charge, Headquarters Branch
District Supervisor, Esan
Supervisor, Akwa-Ibom and Ikwuano Zones 1999-2007
Supervising Minister in charge of Marriage and Counselling 1999-2019
Supervising Minister, Edo Zone 1 (2007-2010)
Regional Supervisor, Delta Region 1 (2010-2019)
Member, Board of Governors (1987 till date)
Member, Ecclesiastical Council (1998 till date)
Member, Board of Trustees (1999 till date).

In early 2019, Apostle Samson Ogbu was appointed Director of Ecclesiastical Matters by his immediate Predecessor in Office, Apostle Wilfred Uyiekpen Omoregie of the Blessed memory, a position which he held until the 14^Th day of April, 2023 when, as ranking Minister next in line in the order of succession, he was elected to the office of Spiritual Leader of the Church at a session of Senior Ministers of the Church of the rank of Apostles.

His marriage to his wife of forty two years is Blessed with two Children, Lydia and John, and numerous grand-children.