Sir Francis Akanu Ibiam KCMG, KBE (29 November 1906– December 1995) was a distinguished medical missionary who was appointed Governor of Eastern Region, Nigeria from December 1960 until January 1966 during the Nigerian First Republic.[1] From 1919 to 1951, he was known as Francis Ibiam, and from 1951 to 1967, Sir Francis Ibiam.

Ibiam was born in Unwana, Afikpo, Ebonyi State on 29 November 1906, of Igbo background. He was the second son of Chief Ibiam Aka, a traditional ruler of Unwana.[2] He himself later became traditional ruler, Eze Ogo Isiala I of Unwana and Osuji of Uburu. He attended Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar, and King's College, Lagos, and then was admitted to the University of St. Andrews, graduating with a medical degree in 1934. He was accepted as a medical missionary of the Church of Scotland, in which role he established Abiriba hospital (1936–1945) and later superintended mission hospitals at Itu and Uburu.[3]

Ibiam was never ordained as a minister, but he was elected and ordained as an elder of the Presbyterian Church.[2] He was appointed an honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1949 New Year Honours for his work as a medical missionary of the Church of Scotland, and was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 1951 New Year Honours, which was later made substantive.[4][5][6] Ibiam was president of the Christian Council of Nigeria (1955–1958). In 1957 he was appointed principal of Hope Waddell Institution.[3] In 1959 Ibiam was president of the University College of Ibadan. On a visit to Northern Rhodesia, he was refused service at a café reserved for whites, an affair that became notorious.[6] In 1962, he was chairman of the committee that established the Protestant Chapel at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Campus.[7]

In the lead-up to Nigerian independence Ibiam served in local government, in the Eastern Regional House of Assembly, and in the Legislative and Executive Councils.

After Nigeria gained independence in 1960, Ibiam was appointed governor of Eastern Region. On 24 August 1962, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG).[8] Ibiam held office until the military coup of 15 January 1966 that brought Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi to power.[3] His authoritarian successor, colonel Emeka Ojukwu, immediately ejected Ibiam from the State House in Enugu. Later, Emeka became president of the breakaway state of Biafra.[9]

"Our party (APC) leaders are thieves, fraudulent, rapist, looters, disgraceful and dishonest" Hon. Dogara to APC party leaders.

"I'm a politician. You know politicians lie, we go to many places during campaign, and tell so many lies. Don't believe what we say, access us by what we've done"

hucienda:
Sir Francis Akanu Ibiam.
Indeed, a great man. Respect.