Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah: A Nigerian Politician, Entrepreneur, and Businessman
Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, a Nigerian politician, entrepreneur, and businessman, passed away on July 27, 2024, at the age of 52. Born on September 3, 1971, in Otolo, Anambra State, Nigeria, Ubah was the first son of seven children to Mr. and Mrs. Alphonsus Ubah. Due to his family’s financial struggles, Ubah dropped out of Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja, to learn trade at a young age. He later attended several local and international business courses and seminars in leadership and business management.
Ubah’s entrepreneurial ventures began early, as he became an exporter of motor tyres and spare parts, majorly in West Africa, including Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and DR Congo. He later expanded his business ventures to Europe, including Belgium and the United Kingdom.
As a businessman, Ubah founded Capital Oil in 2001, with facilities and outlets mostly in Southeast and Southwest Nigeria. He also founded The Authority Newspaper, a Nigerian daily newspaper, which began daily publication on October 15, 2015. Ubah’s passion for sports led him to found Ifeanyi Ubah F.C., a football club in the Nigeria Premier League, following the purchase of Gabros International Football Club. He also established the Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation, a charitable organization.
Ubah’s political career began in 2014, when he contested the Anambra governorship election on the platform of the Labour Party but lost the race. In 2019, he was declared the winner of the Anambra South Senatorial elections on the platform of the Young Progressive Party and later defected to Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressive Congress.
Ubah was married to Uchenna Ubah, a Business Administration graduate of Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria, with whom he had five children. Tragically, Ubah was ambushed by gunmen in Enugwu-Ukwu, Anambra State, in September 2022, while on his way to Nnewi. His convoy was shot at, resulting in the death of at least five persons, including two policemen. Ubah survived the attack, reportedly shielded by the bulletproof vehicle he was riding in.
Throughout his life, Ubah demonstrated a strong commitment to his community and country, leaving behind a legacy of entrepreneurship, sports, and politics. His passing has left a void in the lives of those who knew him, but his memory will continue to inspire and motivate others to follow in his footsteps.
