Prof. Stephen Ikani Ocheni PhD, FCNA, FCTI, FCPA born 25 June 1959, he is an accomplished Nigerian, Professor of Accounting and the former Minister of State, Labour and Employment, under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari (2016-2019).
Professor Ocheni, is a competent academic scholar who has distinguished himself as a public servant in different capacities such as Permanent Secretary, Government House Administration under late Gov. Prince Abubakar Audu from 1999 to 2003.
Prof. Ocheni is currently a Governorship Aspirant in Kogi State under the All Progressive Congress (APC). He Hails from Igalamela Odolu LGEA, Kogi State, a dedicated Christian, a father of six, married to Ambassador, Regina Ocheni, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Nigeria Berlin.
Educational Background and Career;
Professor Stephen Ikani Ocheni has robust educational background, from Harvard University in Washington DC, United States of America where he obtained a certificate in “Strategies for Home Ownership”.
He attended Enugu State University of Science and Technology where he obtained Master’s Degree in Finance in 1990, proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and graduated with the Degree, Doctor of Philosophy in Finance Management in 2004.
Professor Ocheni has served as a Professor of Accounting, Kogi State University, Anyigba and Visiting Professor to other Universities including, Nile University, Abuja and the University of Calabar.
Awards and Achievements;
Professor Ocheni has the following Profesional recognitions and awards:
Fellow, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (FCNA);
Fellow, Charted Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCTI)
Fellow, Charted Institute of Economics of Nigeria (FCE);
Fellow, Charted Institute of Public Administration of Nigeria (FCPA)
Fellow, African Business School (FABS); Fellow, Association of forensic and investigative Professionals of Nigeria (FAFIP),
Fellow, Nigeria Accounting Association (FNAA).
He was elected twice as Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba and won full Accreditation for the Faculty between 2015 and 2017.
Professor Stephen Ikani Ocheni is an prolific writer who has published widely in national and international journals, and has written many academic books.
He was appointed by His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello as Chairman, Kogi State Ad-hoc Committee on Fiscal Responsibility in 2016 to work out Strategies for the Introduction and Implementation of Treasury Single Account (TSA).
Professor Ocheni’s Fiscal Responsibility Report led to the introduction of the government policy on Treasury Single Account (TSA) and contributory Pension Scheme in Kogi State 2017.
His report is also instrumental to the newly established Kogi State Pension Commission, a Single Pension Administrative body in the state.
As a member of the Federal Executive council, Professor Ocheni gave a good account of himself through remarkable memos to the Federal Executive council drawing attention to the development needs of the people of Kogi state .
Chiefly among them are, the memos to the federal Executive council seeking for the completion of the Idah-Odolu -Nsukka road and the control of the deadly erosion site in Dekina town,Dekina Local Government Area of kogi State.
His efforts, especially the memo for the erosion control in Dekina paid off as the Ecological Fund Office under the Secretary to the Government of the Federation awarded the contract and the project successfully completed within record time.
As a matter of fact, the people of the area whose houses would have gone into extinction as a result of the ravaging erosion menace will remain ever grateful to Professor Ocheni for bringing their plight to the attention of the Federal Government.
Also during his period as Minister, Professor Ocheni influenced the siting of a Federal Government Skills Acquisition Center at Uwowo in the Igala mela/Odolu local government area. This project has been fully completed with the state of the art facilities and is set to take in students from different parts of the state that are willing to acquire the necessary skills that will make them self-reliant and employers of Labour.
Similarly, he used his position as Minister of State for Labour and Employment to influence Job opportunities for numerous youths of the state both in the formal and informal sectors.
Even outside the public office, Professor Stephen Ikani Ocheni has leverage on his goodwill, which has enabled him to continue to attract more job opportunities for youths that are not gainfully employed.
He has aptly demonstrated this popular saying that, “it is not how long, but how well”. This is against the backdrop of the fact that Professor Stephen Ikani Ocheni spent just a short period in the Federal Executive Council. Many of his admirers believed that he could have done more for the people of the state if he had stayed longer in office.
Traditional Titles;
Professor Stephen Ikani Ocheni holds the following Traditional Titles:
The Omachi Attah-Igala Kingdom (Waali), was conferred on him by The Attah-Igala and Chairman Kogi State Council of Chiefs in 2010.
The Olimene Etemahi of Igalamela (Dogaa), conferred on him by the Etemahi and chairman, Igalamela/Odolu Traditional Council.
The Oga-EJEH Dekina (Edee), conferred on him by the then Ag. Chairman, Igala Area Traditional Council in 2020.
Complied by;
Mary Amodu Omakoji
Journalist/ Communication Consultant
