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BACKGROUND
Ambassador Godfrey A.E Odudigbo. Fdc, was born on 26th July, 1963. He hails from Nkwelle -Ezunaka Community in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. He started his early Education from the famous Central Primary School, Nkwelle-Ezunaka, where he proceeded to Joseph Memorial High School, Aguleri from Primary Five (5) due to his brilliance. He was in the school from 1975-1981. He later got admission into the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1985, where he graduated with a B.Sc (Hons.) Degree in Economics in 1989. Upon his recruitment in the Nigerian Foreign Service in 1993, he attended the Nigerian Foreign Service Academy Lagos and obtained the Foreign Service Certificate in 1994 that qualified him as a Certified Diplomat ready for representational duties on behalf of Nigeria. He also attended Course 22 of the National Defence College (NDC Course 22) of Nigeria, Abuja from September 2013 to August, 2014 and became a Fellow of the college (fdc).
DEPARTMENTAL DEPLOYMENTS IN NIGERIA
Ambassador Odudigbo has worked in several Departments/Divisions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such as; Trade and Investment Department (1994-1997), Consular Division (2000-2001), Office of the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs (2001-2003, African Union Department (2007-2009), Office of the Honourable Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (2012-2013) amongst others. During his illustrious career, he became the first Liaison Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria to Defence Headquarters, Abuja between 2015-2016. He has attended innumerable courses, Seminars, Symposia and Summits at bilateral levels in Nigerian and multilateral levels of ECOWAS, the African Union, (AU) and United Nations, (UN) platforms.
POSTINGS ABROAD
As a seasoned career diplomat, he has served in several Nigeria’s Diplomatic Missions abroad, which include; Embassy of Nigeria, Bucharest, Romania between 1989-2000, where he served as an Attachment Officer and later got promoted to the rank of Second and First Secondary respectively; Embassy of Nigeria Cotonou, Benin Republic (2003-2007), as Counsellor/Head of Chancery, Nigerian High Commission, Yaounde, Republic of Cameroon (2009-2012), Minister Counsellor and Assistant Director, as well as Head of Chancery; Embassy of Nigeria, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2016-2017), as Deputy Director/Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Nigeria, Athens, Greece (2019-2021), where he was posted as CDA et, but served actually as CDA a.i, due to the refusal of the Greece Government to accredit him as CDA e.t on the basis that it has Ambassadorial representation in Nigeria. He was appointed the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Republic of Liberia by President Muhammadu Buhari and arrived Monrovia on 22nd May, 2021 to officially take up his Ambassadorial position. He presented his Letter of Credence to the President of Liberia, H.E. George Manneh Weah on 21st July, 2021.
COMMENDATIONS IN SERVICE
He has received numerous commendations in service such as; from Alhaji (Dr.) Sule Lamido, Former Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs, in 2003; Letter of Appreciation from His Excellency Geoffrey Onyeama, Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs for his contribution during the 31st Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit in Nouakchott, Mauritania, held from 1st to 2nd July, 20018; Congratulatory Letter upon successful completion of Course 22 of National Defence College Nigeria from Mrs. E.O. Olukoya, Director, (Training and Welfare Div.), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2014); Letter of Appreciation dated 9th April, 2017 from His Excellency, Alhaji Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, OFR, Executive Governor of Kaduna state on the role of the Embassy under his watch as CDA a.i during his Official visit to Ethiopia; Commendation Letter dated 15th February, 2018 from Ambassador Olukunle A. Bamgbose, former Permanent Secretary, MFA, Nigeria for his contributions to Nigeria’s successful participation during the 30th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 23-29 January, 2018; Certificate of Distinction of 5th December, 2018 issued by His Excellency, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to Ethiopia, the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, for his outstanding contributions in discharge of his duties at Embassy of Nigeria in Ethiopia during his posting tour of Ethiopia from 2016 – 2018, (which extended to April 2019); Letter of Appreciation dated 10 February, 2020 from her Excellency, Dame Pauline K. Tallen, Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development, Abuja for assisting the Ministry to host an “International Workshop on Leadership Etiquette” in Athens, Greece from 25-30 January, 2020, in his capacity as Head of Mission, amongst others.
FAMILY
Ambassador Odudigbo is happily married to Her Excellency Mrs. Eucharia Ogechukwu Odudigbo and their union is blessed with two sons.
