Dame Virginia Ngozi Etiaba, CON, was born November 11, 1942. She was the Governor of Anambra State, from November 2006 to February 2007. Etiaba is the first female governor in Nigeria’s history. She was instated as governor when Peter Obi, the previous governor was impeached by the state legislature for alleged gross misconduct. She relinquished administration back to Obi after three months in service when an appeal court nullified the impeachment.
A native of Ezekwuabor Otolo-Nnewi in Nnewi North Local Council of Anambra State; Dame Virginia Etiaba was married to the Late Bennet Etiaba of Umudim Nnewi.
Etiaba worked as a teacher for 35 years and headed several schools in Kafanchan, Aba, Port Harcourt and Nnewi.
She retired from the Civil services of the Anambra State Government in 1991 and founded the Bennet Etiaba Memorial Schools, Nnewi, where she served as the proprietress. In March 2006 she resigned from her position as proprietress to assume the position of the Deputy Governor of Anambra State.
Etiaba signed Anambra State’s Child Rights bill into law as Governor and flagged off ‘Suba kwa Igbo’ in an attempt to stop Igbo language and culture from sliding irreversibly into extinction. These earned her the nickname, ‘Mama Anambra.’
She is the mother of six children, of which two are Emeka Etiaba (SAN), and Ben Etiaba are remarkably notable politician.
