Looking at a king’s mouth, you would think he never sucked his mother’s breast”. This antiquity status fast gaining proverb made popular by the world renowned and celebrated novelist and playwright, Chinua Achebe, author of the universally acclaimed and eternal Monument, THINGS FALL APART, best captures the modest beginning of the subject of this story.
Apostle (Dr) Wilfred Uyiekpen Omoregie, JP was born on the 13th day of March, 1945 into the Royal family of HRH Aghahouwa Omoregie and Mrs Elizabeth Omeregie (Nee Obauyiedo Obasike), both of whom are now late, of Evboligun village, Ikpoba Okha L.G.A. of Edo State. He is the third and eldest male child of their Nine children.
Apostle Omoregie had a very humble and rough background while growing up. Upon losing his father at the age of 12 while he was in Primary six, life became a torrid affair leaving him vulnerable to vagaries of various sorts, which thankfully, he found grace to skillfully navigate and surmount. Education, for starters, did not come on a platter of Gold for him. He attended St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Benin City, Edo State from 1951 – 1957 where he completed and obtained his Primary School Testimonial and then proceeded to St. Patrick’s College Ogwashi-Ukwu, a boarding School, from 1958 – 1963 and obtained his Secondary School Leaving Certificate. Young as he was, he had to surmount all odds to make it through Secondary School including selling food items for his late mum to support his education whenever he was on holidays as well as cater to the general needs of his siblings.