Blessing Okwuchi Nwagba

Blessing Okwuchi Nwagba (born 1962) is a Nigerian politician, sociologist, and women's rights advocate. She has served as a member of the Abia State House of Assembly representing Aba North Constituency since 2011, currently chairing the committees on Women Affairs, Social Welfare, and Health. A two-term legislator, Nwagba is known for her legislative initiatives on gender equality, health policy, and industrial development in Abia State. She is affiliated with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and previously directed several private enterprises, including Belzy Pharmaceuticals and Belzy Farms.

Early Life and Education

Blessing Nwagba was born in 1962 in Mbutu Umuojioma Ogu, Aba North Local Government Area, Abia State. She received her early education at St. Clements Primary School in Mbutu Umuojioma Ogu, followed by Federal Government College, Odogbolu, Ogun State. She earned a B.Sc. in Sociology from the University of Lagos in 1983, an M.Sc. in Sociology from the University of Port Harcourt in 1986, and a Ph.D. in Sociology (specializing in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management) from the same university in 2014.

Her undergraduate thesis was titled "A Comparative Study of the Degree of Aspiration and Frustration of the Urban Self-Employed Poor in Lagos and Calabar." Her master's thesis examined "Effectiveness and Efficiency of Small and Medium Scale Industries in Aba," while her doctoral dissertation focused on "Social Insecurity and Tourism Development in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria."

Personal Life

Nwagba is married to Israel Nwagba, a pharmacist from Osusu-Aba, Abia State. The couple has four children. She hails from a community in Aba North and maintains strong ties to local social and charitable initiatives.

Career

Early Political and Administrative Roles

Nwagba began her public service career in 1991 as Supervisory Councillor for Health and Social Welfare in Aba Local Government Council, during which Aba North was carved out as a separate entity. She later served on the Education Authority of Aba North LGA, contributing to primary education policy-making and oversight.

In 2009, she joined the seven-member board of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, inaugurated by then-President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to shape the hospital's strategic direction.

Business and Professional Background

Prior to her legislative career, Nwagba was a director at Belzy Pharmaceuticals, Belzy Farms, Belzy Fashion, and Fulfillment International Academy and College. As a sociologist, she has focused on industrial relations, social insecurity, and economic development in the Niger Delta.

Legislative Career

Nwagba was first elected to the Abia State House of Assembly in 2011 on the PDP platform, representing Aba North Constituency. During her initial term (2011–2015), she chaired the House Committee on Commerce and Industry and served as Deputy Chief Whip. She spearheaded the legislative framework for external investments in Abia, overseeing industries such as Nigerian Bottling Company, Nigerian Breweries, Starline Paper Mills, and Guinness. She conducted monitoring exercises on industrial policy implementation in markets like Ubani Ibeku and the Industrial Market.

Key legislative contributions included sponsoring the Abia State Bill on Institutional Support for Persons with Disabilities (passed but not assented to by the governor), advocating for widowhood rights, and addressing social issues like erosion, road dilapidation, and market disruptions in Aba. She pushed for rehabilitation of the Ariaria International Market access road, Ukwu Mango gateway, and federal intervention on Eziama erosion. In October 2011, she organized a public hearing on the Abia State University gang rape incident.

Re-elected in 2015 as the sole female returning legislator, Nwagba resumed in 2016 chairing the House Committee on Women Affairs, Social Welfare, and Health. She sponsored bills on inserting genotype and blood group on identity cards to combat child mortality and domesticating anti-discrimination laws for HIV/AIDS carriers in Abia. She moved motions against the national grazing reserve bill, highlighting cattle-related menaces in the South-East and South-South zones, and raised concerns about debris on Osusu Road, Aba.

In the 10th Assembly (2023–present), Nwagba continues her role, focusing on health equity, women's empowerment, and community welfare amid Abia State's ongoing development under Governor Alex Otti. As of 2025, she remains active in legislative oversight and constituency engagement, with no reported challenges to her seat.

In 2022, Nwagba briefly pursued the APC senatorial ticket for Abia South but returned to PDP for the 2023 elections, securing re-election amid the Labour Party's gubernatorial victory.

International Development and Non-Profit Work

Nwagba has engaged in pan-African initiatives, including training parliamentarians from ten African countries in Côte d'Ivoire, where she presented Nigeria's roadmap for eliminating legal barriers to HIV/AIDS information and healthcare access for key populations.

She pioneered health interventions in Abia, collaborating with foreign doctors from the Rapha Hans Foundation (USA) for free treatments in diabetes, hypertension, and ophthalmology. On June 23, 2017, she provided free eye care, glasses, and medications during a town hall. As founder of the Total Blessing Foundation, she supports education and health programs for underprivileged communities.

Awards and Honors

Nwagba has received over 50 awards for her service. Notable honors include: - Women of Worth Award (2012), St. Matthew Anglican Church, Aba. - Odo Abia Award (2014), Abia State's second-highest honor for women, for leadership and development impact. - Knighthood of the Order of St. Mary (2014), Anglican Diocese of Aba. - Induction into Aba Sports Club 1929 (2009).

Selected Works

• "An Evaluation of the Sociological and Developmental Implications of the Security Challenges in Nigeria: The Case for Tourism and Foreign Direct Investment in the Niger Delta" (African Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2014, pp. 183–191).
• Ph.D. Thesis: "Social Insecurity and Tourism Development in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria" (University of Port Harcourt, 2014).
• M.Sc. Thesis: "Effectiveness and Efficiency of Small and Medium Scale Industries in Aba" (University of Port Harcourt, 1986).
• B.Sc. Thesis: "A Comparative Study of the Degree of Aspiration and Frustration of the Urban Self-Employed Poor in Lagos and Calabar" (University of Lagos, 1983).

References

• "South-East, South-South Reject Grazing Bill Before National Assembly." The Guardian, 18 July 2016.
• "Know Your Candidates." Retrieved 11 August 2017.
• "Images of Blessing Nwagba." Retrieved 11 August 2017.
• "The Legislature." Abia State Government (archived 9 February 2020). Retrieved 12 August 2017.
• "All Africa Archive." Retrieved 12 August 2017.
• "Fact News" (archived 22 August 2017). Retrieved 14 August 2017.
• Wikipedia contributors. "Blessing Nwagba." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Updated 15 October 2023.
• "2023 Abia State House of Assembly Election." Wikipedia. Updated 28 January 2025.
• Abia State Government Official Website. Accessed 5 October 2025.

External Links

• Abia State House of Assembly Profile(https://abiastate.gov.ng/legislature/)
• Total Blessing Foundation(https://totalblessingfoundation.org/) (unofficial)