Virginia Etiaba

Dame Virginia Ngozi Etiaba, CON (born 11 November 1942) was the Governor of Anambra State, a state in south-east Nigeria, from November 2006 to February 2007. She is the first female governor in Nigeria's history. She was instated as the previous governor, Peter Obi, was impeached by the state legislature for alleged gross misconduct. She transferred her powers back to Obi three months later when an appeal court nullified the impeachment.

Background[]

Etiaba is a native of Ezekwuabor Otolo-Nnewi in Nnewi North Local Council of Anambra State. She was raised by her Uncle Chief Pius Ejimbe from secondary school in Kano Nigeria until she married the Late Bennet Etiaba of Umudim Nnewi.

For 35 years she worked as a teacher and headed several schools in Kafanchan, Aba, Port Harcourt, and Nnewi. She retired from the services of the Anambra State Government in 1991 and founded the Bennet Etiaba Memorial Schools, Nnewi, of which she was the proprietress. In March 2006 she resigned to assume the position of the Deputy Governor of Anambra State.^[1]

Etiaba was a member of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs, International Literacy Programme for the Nnewi North Local Council, the Environmental International Vanguard and the World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP). She was also a Synod members of the Church of Nigerian (Anglican Communion), a member of the Christian Association of Nigerian Schools, a member of the Board of Governors of the Okongwu Memorial Grammar School Nnewi, member of the Board of Governors of Holy Child Convent School, Amichi and a Juvenile Court Assessor for the Nnewi Magisterial District.

Etiaba is the mother of six children of which one is Emeka Etiaba (SAN), who once contested for the governorship seat in Anambra state.^[2]

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