High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro, a renowned Niger Delta activist and scholar, was conferred with a PhD in Comparative Politics and Development Studies on Saturday, November 25th, 2023. The prestigious ceremony took place at the University of Benin, located in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro, the Ibe-Uyadonwei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, situated in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, is a significant figure in the Niger Delta struggle. After years of dedication and hard work, he was able to participate in the vibrant convocation ceremony and proudly return home with his PhD in Comparative Politics and Development Studies.
Upon receiving his doctorate, an ecstatic High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro stated, “This is a dream come true for me, and I have been eagerly awaiting this moment. I am overwhelmed with excitement.”
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro: A Man Devoted to the Niger Delta Cause
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro is a familiar name across the oil-rich Niger Delta Region. His profound commitment to improving the region and the lives of its people has made him a key figure. He has a grand vision for the region and has been tirelessly working to ensure it receives the attention it deserves.
During the height of the crisis in the region, he was in the Creeks, advocating for a better deal for the people. He possesses a comprehensive understanding of the Niger Delta Region and is acutely aware of the struggles faced by its people. His relentless efforts and selfless sacrifices have played a pivotal role in the fight for a better deal for the region. High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro, a grassroots man with impressive credentials, is deeply committed to resolving the myriad of challenges plaguing the region. The issues affecting the region hold a special place in his heart.
Education and Career
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro is a goal-oriented, educated professional with a strong foundation in political administration. He has progressive experience that is highly applicable to an Executive Director position.
His academic journey includes a Doctorate Degree (PhD) in Comparative Politics and Development Studies from the University of Benin, which he pursued from 2016-2019. He also holds a Master of Public Administration and an MSc in International Relations from the same university, earned in 2008-2009 and 2007-2008, respectively. His educational background also includes a Bachelor of Science in Political Science Education from Delta State University, obtained between 2001-2005.
As a Chief Executive Officer, High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro has successfully navigated the political landscape to secure support from divisions and external stakeholders, ensuring the successful execution of initiatives. He has cultivated relationships with leaders at all levels to develop and maintain support for effective system implementation. His leadership skills extend to initiating corporate strategy and implementation, managing people across several academic and social groups, setting strategic goals, and engaging stakeholders.
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro has over fourteen years of general management experience. He has served as a member of the Presidential Council on the Socio-Economic Development of the Coastal States of the Niger Delta, a member of the United States Institute of Peace (Usip), a Fellow Alternative to Dispute Resolution in Africa, and the National President of the National Union of Izon-Ibe (Ijaw) (Nuis) World Wide. He was also the Chief Protocol at the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and is currently the Principal Consultant of Owelle Global, focusing on the Logistics and consultancy sector of the Nigerian Business Environment.
In 2006, he established Owelle Global Resources, a logistics and consultancy company that has since given birth to other subsidiary companies across the country. As the Chief Protocol to The Chairman of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), he supported the Chief Executive in his day-to-day operations of the program, which was set up to improve infrastructure in the crude oil-bearing areas of Delta State, create employment, and reduce insecurity-related incidents in those parts of the state.
Owelle Global was founded to help organizations improve their operational efficiency, directly impacting their profitability. They have consulted for several organizations in the nation’s MDA’s and SME sectors.
According to High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro, in the next five years, Owelle Global aims to focus more on Government MDA’s and seek collaborations to improve operational efficiency and process optimization. He believes that the Civil Service in Nigeria needs an urgent shift in operational methods, and his company will work towards improving service delivery and process re-engineering/automation based on the specific needs of the organizations they will be working with.
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro finds personal fulfillment in helping young people align or realign their goals and find clarity. He believes that long-term happiness and fulfillment depend on one’s ability to fulfill their unique purpose and fill a place in the world that only they can, making a contribution that only they can make. This belief, as articulated by Rod Stryker, aptly describes High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro.
High Chief Dennis Otuaro’s journey is an inspiration for young people everywhere. His story teaches how focus, resilience, hard work, seizing opportunities at the right time, and trust in God are crucial pillars for success and fulfillment, regardless of one’s circumstances.
Early Life and Education
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro lost his parents at the tender age of eight. However, even at that young age, he was determined to succeed and refused to let his challenging circumstances deter him. He faced the hardships with grit and determination, building a foundation that would propel him to the heights he envisioned for himself.
High Chief Dennis Otuaro began his academic journey in Warri, Delta State, where he completed his primary education. He then attended Ogbe-Ijoh Grammar School in Warri West Local Government Area of Delta State for his secondary education. He was admitted into Delta State University, where he pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, graduating with Second Class Honors in 2005.
His leadership traits began to manifest while in university, where he was involved in student activism, advocating for better conditions for students. He served as the Secretary-General of the Delta State University, Abraka Chapter, Delta State from 2002 to 2003 before taking over as the National President of the National Union of Izon-Ibe (Ijaw) students (NUIS) from 2003 to 2004.
After completing his National Youth Service Corps mandatory one-year program in Kebbi State, he furthered his studies at the University of Benin, earning a Master’s Degree in International Relations in 2008. A lover of academics, High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro pursued another Master’s Degree in Public Administration at the same university, finishing in 2009. Determined to reach the pinnacle of academic excellence, High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro applied for his doctorate degree program at the University of Benin.
Professional Engagement
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro is a patriot who finds fulfillment in serving his country. His education and experience have been instrumental in his various service engagements, which span his state’s government, the Federal Government, other social bodies, and international agencies.
He has served as Chief Protocol Officer to the Chairman of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) from 2007 to 2010, a commission created to improve infrastructure in the oil-bearing areas of Delta State, generate employment, and reduce insecurity-related incidents in those parts. He was also a member of the Delta State Waterways Security Council and served as Chairman of the sub-committee on security of the council from 2007 to 2015.
These experiences allowed him to bridge the communication gap between communities and oil-producing companies in the region and the government. He was able to bring the youths to understand the projects, the government, and the relevance of these programs for them. High Chief Otuaro has been a vocal advocate for the provision of infrastructure and restoration of the natural environment of the Niger Delta, given the harm caused by oil spillage and other activities of multinational oil companies affecting the region’s ecosystem.
In 2004, during the regime of late President Umar Yar’adua, he was appointed a member of the Presidential Committee on the Environment on the Niger Delta, which helped the government understand the environmental challenges of the Niger Delta region and proposed possible solutions.
According to the Chief of Gbaramatu Kingdom, “We will not stop speaking, we’ll not stop struggling, and we will not stop fighting, until the oil companies and the governments see the need to take appropriate steps to protect our environment so that our natural life, the ecosystem, is restored, because the environment is deteriorating every day”.
Between 2003 and 2004, High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro served as a member of the Presidential Council on the Socio-Economic Development of the Coastal States of the Niger Delta. He believes these areas are neglected but critical to the economic development of the region and the country at large.
“Development is from the coast. In other climes, the coastal states are the most developed, but in Nigeria, the wealth is being collected from the coast to the hinterland. Development of the Region is critical. When you develop the Niger Delta, it will reflect on the country,” he stated.
In 2014, PROT Consulting awarded him a professional certificate on Leadership Challenge in the Contemporary Workplace.
Experience
As a diplomatic liaison with a long history of collaborating with a wide variety of stakeholder groups on significant public issues, High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro has successfully navigated the political landscape and secured support from divisions and external stakeholders, ensuring the successful execution of projects or initiatives.
He is a highly organized and creative leader adept at multitasking and successfully accomplishing set targets. He has initiated corporate strategies and implementation, set strategic goals, and ensured they were measurable and implementable.
With his extensive experience leading several academic and social groups, he has gained an in-depth understanding of managing people and cultivated worthwhile relationships with leaders at all levels to develop and maintain support for effective system implementation.
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro has built a solid foundation in political administration required at the highest echelons of political administration.
Business Venture
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro is a man of vision with entrepreneurial savvy. He is focused and goal-driven and has established and successfully runs several companies while also serving on the boards of several others.
In 2008, he established Owelle Global Resources, primarily to help increase the profitability of companies by enhancing operational efficiency. The company has successfully sustained this feat over the years across a wide spectrum of sectors, including MDA’s and SME’s.
The company has thrived in the Logistics and Consultancy business terrain, with a string of excellent records in the efficient execution of programs and projects, as well as the provision of support for its subsidiary companies and projects across the country.
An active player in the country’s agricultural sector, one of his companies, Ibuden Tonye Agric Farm, has been vibrant in the sector, adding value to the economy.
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro also manages two security outfits and runs other businesses with his wife.
Chieftaincy Title
On September 10, 2008, High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Ibe-Uyadonwei of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri, Delta State, at the young age of 30. His dedication, goal-driven nature, and consistency have made him a ground-breaking figure, and his society has rewarded him for his steadfastness.
“I was conferred a chieftaincy title in my village at a very young age as the ‘Ibe-Uyadonwei of Gbaramatu Kingdom’ in Warri Southwest. The meaning of the title is ‘patriot of Gbaramatu kingdom’. It is very challenging, but one thing I believe in is service. My desire is always centered on service to my community, service to my state, and service to the government. Over the years, much of the work I have done is in the area of service. It doesn’t have to be all about appointments. I believe the greatest thing that could happen to anybody is having the opportunity to serve society,” he stated.
The Niger Delta Struggle
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro is a vocal advocate for the Niger Delta. The region remains underdeveloped, lacking basic infrastructure and suffering from environmental degradation caused by oil spillage, gas flaring, and other activities, particularly by the oil companies operating in the oil-rich region, which destroy the ecosystem and foster a low quality of life.
“I am a product of the Niger Delta struggle; I started facing those challenges at a very early age. Since the age of 18, I have been in the struggle,” he stated.
“All we are asking for is a fair share. You cannot be producing these resources and stay neglected. The oil accounts for 90 percent of the country’s export. Yet what we see is a kind of coastal case of underdevelopment. Underdevelopment of the Niger Delta is very pronounced. It is something that is notorious. It doesn’t need any investigation. The question is, are we going to remain like that,” he added, “We will not relent in the struggle to make this place a better place.”
Family
High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro attributes his successes in his endeavors to his wife, of whom he speaks highly.
“My wife, Mrs. Ebimoboere Otuaro, is someone that I see as a mother; kind, dependable, resourceful, and more. We were relatively young when we met, and at that very young age, when you don’t have parents and you come across a woman that becomes close to you and gives you meaningful advice, nothing can separate you from someone like that. It is by the grace of God that you find a woman like that,” he stated.
With diligence, honesty, and a belief in God as core values, High Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro looks ahead to the dawn when the Niger Delta region will be accorded its deserved place in the Nigerian project. He hopes to continue adding value to the business space, improving service delivery, process re-engineering, and automation based on the specific needs of different organizations.
Dream
“I have a dream that one day, we will have bridges linking our Creeks in the entire oil-rich Niger Delta Region, railway stations in the region, good roads, industries, good schools, well-equipped hospitals, and all the good things of life that we are supposed to enjoy as an oil-rich Region,” he stated.