Ipalibo Gogo Banigo (née Harry; born 20 December 1952) in Obuama, Degema,

Rivers State Rivers is a states of Nigeria, state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed on 27 May 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Nigeria, Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include Imo State, Im ...

. She is a Nigerian medical doctor and

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

who is the current

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

representing Rivers West Senatorial District since 2023. She served as the first female deputy governor of Rivers State from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Peoples Democratic Party, she held various important offices at the Rivers State Ministry of Health. During her service, she assumed the positions of Director of Public Health Services, Acting Commissioner, Director-General and Permanent Secretary. She achieved prominence first in 1995, as Secretary to the

Government of Rivers State The Government of Rivers State consists of elected representatives and appointed officials responsible for the government of Rivers State, Nigeria. Rivers State has a population of about 5 million people, and is one of the 36 states that make up ...

before serving as Head of Service of the state. In December 2014, Ezenwo Wike selected her as his running mate in the 2015 election. She was elected deputy governor and assumed office on 29 May 2015.

Early life and education

Banigo was born on 20 December 1952 to the Harry family of Obuama in Degema, Rivers State. As a teenager, she earned the West African School Certificate (Division One) and the Higher School Certificate at Queens College, Lagos. She was awarded prizes for her academic excellence in

Chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...

Biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...

and

English Literature English literature is literature written in the English language from the English-speaking world. The English language has developed over more than 1,400 years. The earliest forms of English, a set of Anglo-Frisian languages, Anglo-Frisian d ...

. In 1968, she won the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

award for Students Poetry. Prior to graduating from high school, she was the Best All-Round Student of The Year from 1969 to 1970. She obtained a

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (; MBBS, also abbreviated as BM BS, MB ChB, MB BCh, or MB BChir) is a medical degree granted by medical schools or universities in countries that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education trad ...

from the University College Hospital, Ibadan, and attended

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

School of Public Health for her master's degree. Between 1990 and 1992, Banigo received diplomas in both Tropical Hygiene and

Dermatology Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the Human skin, skin.''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.'' Random House, Inc. 2001. Page 537. . It is a speciality with both medical and surgical aspects. A List of dermatologists, ...

from the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

Career

Banigo started her career at the Rivers State Port Health Service, where she served as Registrar of Births and Senior Medical Officer-in-charge. She was an honorary consultant dermatologist at the

University of Port Harcourt The University of Port Harcourt is a public research university located in Aluu and Choba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. It was established in 1975 as University College, Port Harcourt and was given university status in 1977. The Univ ...

, after which she became principal of Rivers State School of Health Technology in 1985. During her time at the Rivers State Ministry of Health, she held five responsible offices including Director of Public Health Services, Acting Commissioner, Director-General and Permanent Secretary. On 5 October 1995, Banigo was appointed Secretary to the

, which she would maintain until 5 July 1999. She further served for five months, from May 1998, as Head of Service of Rivers State. While retired, Banigo continued to provide professional services and was later made Public Health Adviser of the Shell Petroleum Development Company in Nigeria. Additionally, she held the offices of both executive director and Secretary at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency. Some of her memberships are Governing Council of University of Calabar, Governing Board of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Rivers State Food and Nutrition Committee, Rivers State Hospital Management Board and Reference Board DFID. She was also appointed Project Director of

UNFPA The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies and protocols, increasing access to birth control, and leadin ...

UNICEF UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...

and Chairman of the Rivers State Relief Committee. In December 2014, she was chosen to be the

running mate A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate running with a pre ...

of gubernatorial candidate Ezenwo Wike in the 2015 election. Both PDP members were elected and took office on 29 May 2015. Banigo previously served as the 6th and first female Deputy Governor of Rivers State. On April 29, 2021, She was among the Health Consultants present at a colloquium organised by St Racheal's Pharmaceuticals Nigeria to commemorate 2021 World Malaria Day held in Lagos, presenting some of the strategies on how to achieve a Zero-Malaria environment in Nigeria in the next 10 years. On September 20, 2020, she became the Chairperson of seven Man panel inaugurated by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to activate some moribund health facilities in the state.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banigo, Ipalibo Living people 1952 births Secretaries to the State Government (Rivers State) Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party politicians Medical doctors from Rivers State Rivers State politicians Commissioners of ministries of Rivers State Academic staff of the University of Port Harcourt Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health alumni Alumni of the University of London Nigerian Christians UNICEF people United Nations Population Fund People from Degema Deputy governors of Rivers State Rivers State civil servants First Wike Executive Council People associated with the 2015 Rivers State gubernatorial election Women state deputy governors of Nigeria Nigerian officials of the United Nations Ibani people Senators of the 10th National Assembly (Nigeria)

Early life and education

Career

See also

References