Background
Abel Guobadia was born on June 28, 1932 in Benin City, Nigeria.
Abel Guobadia was born on June 28, 1932 in Benin City, Nigeria.
Abel Guobadia was born on June 28, 1932 in Benin City, Nigeria. He attended Church Missionary Society Primary Schools in Benin City (1939–1945). Government College, Ibadan (1946–1951).
University College Ibadan (1952–1957).
In 1962, he won a scholarship for graduate studies in the United States of America and was awarded the Ph. Doctorate in Solid State Physics from the, Pennsylvania, United States of America in 1966.
Prior to enrolling for his Ph. From 1966 - 1971, Doctor Guobadia was a Senior Lecturer and Head of Department of Physics at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Guobadia worked at Nigeria"s National Universities Commission throughout most of the 1970s and early 1980s and rose to the position of Director of Academic Planning and subsequently, Executive Secretary of the Commission.
In 1983, Doctor Guobadia helped the University of Benin, Benin City establish a Consultancy Services Unit and became the pioneer Director of the Unit.
In January 1984, Guobadia was appointed Commissioner of for the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria under the military administration of then Brigadier Jeremiah Useni. Later in 1986, the Colonel John Mark Inienger military administration appointed him the Bendel State Commissioner of Finance and Economic Planning.
In 1987, President Ibrahim Babangida appointed Abel Guobadia Nigeria"s first resident Ambassador to the Republic of of Korea. Upon retirement, Abel Guobadia floated a private educational consulting firm, Advanced al Services Limited, that was responsible for developing academic programs for several universities in Nigeria.
Abel Guobadia and Professor T. M. Yesufu played an influential role in the establishment of the Igbinedion University, Okada in Edo State, Nigeria.
In 2000, the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Guobadia Nigeria"s Chief Electoral Officer. Doctor Guobadia was confirmed as the Chairman of Nigeria"s Independent National Electoral Commission by the Nigerian Senate in May 2000. Guobada retired from this position in May 2005 becoming the first, and so far, only Chairman of the Electoral Commission since Nigeria"s independence in 1960, to complete his tenure.
He has served in several capacities on Governing Councils of several Universities in Nigeria.
Guobadia was former Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the Edo State University, Ekpoma. In seeking to advance the development of his cosmopolitan Edo community in mid-western Nigeria, Guobadia worked as the Secretary of the Benin Forum and Chairman of the Edo Forum respectively from 1992 to 2000.
Abel Guobadia served as Chairman, Board of Trustees of a prominent non-governmental organisation, Women"s Health and Action Research Centre (WHARC) located in Benin City, Nigeria. Guobadia died on February 4, 2011 at the age of 78.
Abel Guobadia has served as Chairman and/or member of many boards including that of the New Nigeria Bank, West African Examinations Council and the Nigerian Standards Organization. He is a Special Member of the Senate of the University of Benin, Benin City.