Bernard Oboatarhieyeren Okumagba: The chartered accountant, public administrator and entrepreneur

Few trajectories in Delta State move so cleanly from accounting to public administration to enterprise as that of Chief Bernard Oboatarhieyeren Okumagba. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and consummate chartered accountant, he cut his teeth in Nigerian finance — from Arthur Andersen & Co (now KPMG) to senior posts at Oceanic Bank, Fidelity, First Atlantic and UBA — before heeding the call to public duty. As Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, and later for Finance, he guided the state’s fiscal framework through turbulent cycles, importing corporate discipline into government books and earning a name for prudence that endured beyond his time in office.

He now applies that same exactness to business. As Chairman and CEO of Excellon Consults Limited, Chairman of Crevice Energy Services Limited, and Director of GreenPark Exploration and Production Limited, he converts strategy into employment and planning into value. Celebrated as an outstanding and impactful indigene of Delta State, he merges analytical precision, policy foresight, and rooted commitment — turning figures into tangible progress for communities.

His grounding began with rigour. Between 1977 and 1983 he attended Government College, Ughelli, an institution noted for intellect and order, before proceeding to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. From 1983 to 1997 he studied Accounting, graduating with Second Class Upper — a mark of endurance and meticulousness. Professional recognition followed swiftly. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1991 and later attained ICAN Fellowship. That arc — from GCU’s structure, through UNN’s scholarship, to ICAN’s standards — accounts for the method he carried into banking halls, Asaba’s ministries, and corporate boards.

Stewardship found him early. From 1994 to 1996 he served on the Board of Delta Transport Company Limited — Delta Line — appointed during the administration of the Military Governor at that time – Colonel Bassey Asuquo. It signalled early confidence in his judgement to oversee a strategic state asset when transparency was scarce. That confidence expanded in finance, where he came to be viewed as a formidable figure. Starting at Arthur Andersen in 1988, he progressed through Oceanic, Crystal, Fidelity, First Atlantic and UBA, holding successive leadership mandates that tested technical depth, risk management, and organisational growth. Over twenty years in dealing rooms and executive suites, he cultivated a reputation not for show, but for systems — the executive who could interpret statements, foresee shocks, and keep institutions stable.

The shift to government arrived in August 2007 with his departure from United Bank for Africa Plc. Named Delta State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, he held the portfolio until November 2010, translating political objectives into workable budgets amid volatile oil prices and mounting demands. Performance there led to the treasury: first as Commissioner for Finance from November 2010 to May 2011, then, following reappointment in July 2011, a further term to July 2013. In both, he prioritised controls over pageantry — tightening budgetary discipline, sharpening revenue projections, and applying an auditor’s insistence to public expenditure.

National attention came next. In 2019 President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him as Managing Director-designate of the Niger Delta Development Commission, and the Senate confirmed him. Inauguration was delayed by broader federal gridlock, leaving the appointment in abeyance. The mandate revived in 2023 when he assumed office as Commissioner and Board Member representing Delta State on the NDDC Governing Board, bringing to the intervention agency the blend of financial rigour and developmental planning that marked his Asaba years.

His curriculum vitae is anchored by heritage. He originates from Okere-Urhobo Kingdom in Warri South LGA — a Kingdom integral to Warri’s commercial and cultural identity.

In honour of service to his people, he holds two chieftaincy titles within the same LGA: UDU of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom, denoting counsel, mediation and guardianship; and Eruvwu R’Ovie of Agbarha Warri Kingdom, signifying proximity to the palace and duty to the throne. Together they position him at the confluence of custom and contemporary governance, where accounting exactitude and administrative experience answer the demands of stool and society.

Today, his counsel to those in service remains consistent. Chief Bernard Oboatarhieyeren Okumagba urges every Deltan in public office, the private sector, and indeed every citizen, to lead with the people’s interest as the compass — to place service above self, and results above rhetoric.