Hon. John Ehibhatioman Yakubu is the Executive Chairman of Esan North East Local Government, Uromi. His account paints a picture of the biblical Jephtah. Although he never suffered rejection, the difficult and trying circumstances in which he was raised seemed to have prepared him for the task ahead.

Without exaggeration, his case can be likened to the proverbial seed of the sower in the bible that fell among the thorns. Hon. John Ehibhatioman Yakubu refused to be choked and was fired on by the spirit of determination to succeed even in the face of all the odds that confronted him. He is certainly a lesson on determination.

Hon. John Ehibhatioman Yakubu was born into a lowly and humble family of late Mr. & Mrs. Eromosele Isikhuanele Yakubu of Uzenema – Arue, Uromi in Esan North East Local Government Area on 16th June, 1965. he had his primary education at Uzenema Primary School, Arue, Uromi from 1971 – 9177. He stretched out to attend Esan Grammar School, Ubiarumu – Uromi from 1977 – 1982.

After his secondary education, there was no immediate means to proceed to higher institution even though he had brilliant result. He thus sought refuge with a prominent beer distribution in Benin City on a monthly salary of N70.00 (seventy naira) for a period of five years to raise fund. Eventually, he gained admission into Auchi Polytechnic in 1987 where he studied Accountancy. He told someone recently that his period in Auchi Polytechnic is a reminder of the difficult and hard times he faced as a student as there was no financial assistance from anybody under the sun. On completion of the course in 1992, he went for his National Youth Service engagement and was posted to NNPC Elame, Port Harcourt for his primary assignment. Hon. John Ehibhatioman Yakubu decided to shore up his academic profile by getting enrolled at the University of Benin for a postgraduate programme and by 1999 he was awarded a Master Degree in Administration MBA.

At the height of unemployment in 1993 after the completion of his National Youth Service, Hon. John E. Yakubu declined an offer for a civil service job. He rather opted for self employment. According to him, civil service employment would have stifled his focus and vision to affect lives through wealth creation.  This mindset was largely influenced by his uncle who is an ardent businessman.

Little wonder that from one little endeavour to the other, Hon. John E. Yakubu floated JOYAK ventures in 1994 which blossomed and later metaporphosed into Joyak Ventures Ltd. in 2000.  The company is engaged in civil construction and distribution of building materials. Among the several notable projects executed by the company is the 100 bed-space hostel at the University of Benin which was donated by the immediate past administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2002.

The entrepreneur skills of Hon. John E. Yakubu started to show up early in life.  At the age of nine (9), he was engaged in hawking of wares to assist his peasant mother who was also a widow of fend for him and his other siblings.  He recalled that the mother used to borrow iron tray from neighbours, because she had none of her own, to give to him to walk a distance of about 5 kilometers from Uzenema-Arue to buy loaves of bread for hawking at the defunct top bakery on old Agbor Road, Uromi.  He said he engaged his holiday period to tap rubber and harvest wild oil palm fruits.  Hon. John E. Yakubu recalled with air of accomplishment that he harvested 45 bunches of oil palm fruits in a given day in 1982 after which he hung up his climbing ropes and voluntarily retired from the vocation.  He participated as a service-boy during the construction of projects at the then Bendel State University, Ekpoma in 1981.  Hon. John E. Yakubu disclosed that he bought his first pair of shoes from the money he realized from the Bendel State University job expedition in 1981.  In 1982 before proceeding for his National Youth Service, he was engaged by Esan North East Local Government to beautify its premises and the outcome is the edifice of the Nigerian Coat of Arm at the secretariat.

During his NYSC primary assignment at NNPC, Eleme, Port Harcourt, Hon. John E. Yakubu single handedly wrote a feasibility report on the establishment of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Plant (LPGP).  Though the report did not receive meaningful recognition, he remained undaunted and refused to be discouraged.  To God be the glory that in 1998, some investors showed interest in the feasibility study and after a fruitful interaction with them, he went to Republic of Benin to source for materials to actualize the concept.  The Gas plant eventually came on stream in 2003 and today, the company – Kerdol Nigeria Ltd is a major player in the industry.  Indeed, the company has over 50% market share in cooking gas in Edo and Delta States.

As a prooding entrepreneur that nose around for business prospects, Hon. John E. Yakubu brought about commercialization of park spaces in University of Benin. This was in 1999 during the onset of professor Anaoh’s administration.

POLITICS
Hon. John E. Yakubu’s interest in partisan polities dates back to 1976.  he recalled with nostalgia the first voting exercise he witnessed that had ignited his passion for politics.  It was the non-party election of 1976 during which the late Chief Tony Iluobe was elected Councilor and his tenure brought developmental changes in his area.  By 1979, the interest became robust following the free education policy that was introduced by the administration of late Professor Ambrose Alli.  He recalled that the free education assisted poor people like him who otherwise could not have had the privilege.

Hon. John E. Yakubu tested the political waters as student union activist at Auchi polytechnic.  His first baptism in partisan politics was in 2002 when he showed interest for the post of Local Government Chairman.  Again, he presented himself at the PDP Primary Election to represent his people at the Federal House of Representatives in 2007.  Flushed by the desire to serve his people, he was overwhelmingly elected as the Executive Chairman of Esan North East Local Government in December, 2007.

Hon. John e. Yakubu is a man of the people.  His proven concern for the development of Uromi and indeed, Esan North East Local Government Area led to his election as president of Uromi Youth Movement.  He got re-elected for another tenure which was on-going when he was elected the Executive Chairman of Esan North East Local Government in December, 2007. As further proof of his popularity and acceptance, he was elected president of Esan League of Youths – a body made up of prominent Esan sons in Benin City and diaspora.

Hon. John E. Yakubu is a practicing catholic.  He is happily married to Barr. (Mrs.) Cecilia Yakubu and they are blessed with children.  He is a lover of sports particularly athletics.

Ladies and gentlemen I have the honour to present to you an astute politician, a great mobiliser, a prudent manager of human and material resources, an apostle of accountability and a worthy example of humble followership, the man Hon. John E. Yakubu.