Honourable Patrick Oziokoja Asadu was born on August 23, 1964 to the family of Pa David Ezenwa Asadu and the matriarch of the family, Mrs. Mary Oriefi Asadu (nee Eze-Okwechi), both of blessed memory.
In 1977, he graduated with a distinction in the First School Leaving Certificate examination after having attended both the Central and Community Primary School in his native Ovoko.
Similarly, he also graduated with another distinction in the West African School Certificate Examinations from Boys Secondary School Ovoko. Asadu demonstrated the same outstanding academic brilliance after he gained admission to the Medical School of the University of Nigeria.
As a medical doctor, Asadu’s foray into practice was the realisation of his childhood dream. He was not just a medical doctor but an epitome of professional excellence who was reputed for unmatchable patience to treat his patients with dignity and his readiness to treat his indigent patients free of charge.
His voyage into politics and public office was, perhaps, a divine call to touch lives and empower the down-trodden. Asadu took a momentary break from medical practice and his chain of clinics that spanned Anambra, Enugu and Kogi states in 2000, after his senior colleague in Medical School and the then governor of Enugu State, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, appointed him the Honourable Commissioner for Lands and Housing. It was to his credit that he successfully supervised the development of both Ebeano and Golf Course Housing estates, among numerous other accomplishments.
After an eight-year stint in the Government of Enugu State in which he made laudable impact, Asadu was elected to represent Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in 2007. So far, he has left indelible marks that have helped to reshape the country, assist the needy and empower the youths, women and the elderly.
It is truly and simply impossible to try to enumerate Asadu’s community, constituency and philanthropic services to his constituents and the larger community via this citation. However, posterity shall always reward this exemplary personality that we are here to honour today for the numerous services to God and humanity.
Only on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, Asadu was in Nsukka and Ibagwa-Aka to flag off the training and empowerment programme for rural women, men and youths which he facilitated for his constituency. It is remarkable that while other candidates were busy canvassing for votes, Asadu was concerned with ensuring the success of this agricultural value chain addition for income enhancement of his constituents. It is important to add here that the selected beneficiaries were given start-up grants.
This only highlights what our honoree truly represents.
In the area of health alone, this seasoned lawmaker has built new health centres in Nru, Unadu,Ovoko and rehabilitated those in other communities; supplied drugs and insecticide-treated mosquito nets to health centres and is currently building an Emergency Ward at the Obukpa Comprehensive Health Centre. No less than 30,000 patients have benefitted from Asadu’s sponsored, regular Free Medical and Surgical services to those in need of treatments and surgeries in his constituency from 2007 till date.
In the education sector, he built brand new school blocks in six communities across the two local government areas. He also rehabilitated tens of primary and post-primary school buildings; supplied furniture to a huge number of primary and secondary schools in the two councils; equipped the ultra-modern e-library at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria and attracted the Centre for Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management to the same university. To make education more accessible and affordable for our people, especially traders, civil servants and other professionals within his constituency, Asadu single-handedly rehabilitated the National Open University centre at Opi. Today, our people are benefitting from this gesture.
To cap it all, Asadu has been offering full and free scholarships to selected indigent students up to tertiary education, both within and outside the country. The performance-based scholarships through the Pat Asadu Schools and Students Challenge (PASSC) and his ‘Next Millionaire Generation’ programme are both ongoing. Through another cultural exchange programme with the United States Consulate, he is sending deserving young farmers to pig farms in the United States where the trainees are to learn the latest technology and management and will, upon their return, seize that industry by training others and running successful businesses.
In social services’ delivery, the list of his achievements is long and inexhaustible. He provided transformers to many communities; handled the building of Obu Nsukka project; has keenly supported Christian and Muslim communities; has sponsored football tournaments among the 36 wards (involving both male and female teams) and has attracted road projects and erosion-control interventions in many communities.
His regular Widowhood Empowerment Programme for poor widows and provision of essentials of life to elders in about 2000 villages across the 36 wards of the Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South federal constituency, donation of food items and basic household goods to thousands of his constituents and donation of cars, tricycles and hundreds of motorcycles to different categories of people amply underscore that this fine gentleman and mentor is a compassionate benefactor.
As a legislator, he has distinguished himself at the National Assembly as an effective representative of his people. Asadu has sponsored many key bills and motions in the House of Representatives and holds a distinction of never having any of his individual bills or motions defeated on the floor of the House, a testimony to his astuteness, thoroughness and the respect that he commands among his peers in the House of Representatives. He also served for two terms of four years each as First Rapporteur of the ECOWAS Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Child Protection and is currently the House Committee Chairman on Ports, Harbours and Waterways.
It is in recognition of his numerous achievements and services to the people that the Godfrey Okoye University, a Catholic university not only awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree, Biochemistry (Honoris Causa) on him but also named its Post-graduate Building after him. That earned him the ubiquitous title of Hon. Dr. Dr. Pat Asadu. Also, the Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu conferred on Asadu another honorary doctorate degree on Community Development (Honoris Causa). It is vital to add that as the general elections begin in earnest, Asadu is flying the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 16, 2019 election.
It is on this note we present this outstanding personality, a passionate philanthropist and an avid youth mentor and benefactor, Honourable Patrick Oziokoja Asadu, Ph.D (Osuofia) as the “Grassroots Man of the Year 2018” by the reputed Leadership SCORECARD magazine.
