13 things you probably didn’t know about Nzeribe

Maverick politician Senator Arthur Nzeribe is dead.

Here are things you probably didn’t know about Nzeribe:

Francis Arthur Nzeribe was born in Oguta, Imo State on November 2, 1938.

He was Senator for the Orlu Senatorial constituency in Imo State from October 1983 to December 1983 and May 1999 to May 2007 on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) slate.

His father, Oyimba Nzeribe, was a lawyer and former state counsel, and his grandfather, Akpati Nzeribe, held the traditional title of Ogbuagu, Oshiji, Damanze Oyimba of Oguta.

His second wife is the sister of Hajia Asabe Yar’Adua, wife of the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who was brother of President Umaru Yar’Adua.

Nzeribe lost his mother when he was a primary school student while his father was away in Great Britain studying law.

His care was taken over by Catholic priests who were involved in furthering his education.

He attended Bishop Shanahan College, Orlu and Holy Ghost College, Owerri.

In 1957, he traveled to Lagos where he obtained employment with Nigeria’s Port Authority as an engineering cadet, and a year later, received a scholarship from the NPA to study marine engineering.

He was a billionaire believed to be worth over $1.5 billion as of 2018.

Nzeribe built Sentinel Assurance and other companies.

Arthur Nzeribe was elected Senator for the Imo Orlu constituency 1999 and was reelected in 2003.

In November 2002, Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim indefinitely suspended Senator Nzeribe due to an allegation of a N22 million fraud.

In August 2007, Nzeribe was appointed a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP. (The Nation)