Dr. Odiraa Nwankwor, a paediatrician and associate professor of paediatrics based in the United States, says his decision to contest for the Orumba North/South Federal Constituency seat in the National Assembly is rooted in a lifelong commitment to public service. The APGA aspirant, who recently outlined his credentials to media houses, told Managing Editor Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka that his background in medicine, academia, and community health informs his vision for the constituency. Excerpts below.
Nwankwor traces his academic discipline to his early school days in his village. A primary school teacher insisted he repeat Elementary One so he would be six years old before advancing, even though he was already among the top students. That decision, he says, shaped his approach to learning and competition.
He continued to maintain first position through primary school and into secondary school. When he noticed his secondary school had only one class and limited competition, he asked to transfer to a larger school with more peers to challenge him. The move, he says, prepared him for the rigour of medical school.
Nwankwor studied medicine at the University of Nigeria. The first year was spent at Esuka, where all medical students complete their basic sciences. From the second year, he settled into clinical training and eventually graduated as a medical doctor.
Even during secondary school, he considered priesthood. He shared his interest with his father, who advised him to finish conventional secondary school first. By the time he entered university, his focus had shifted to medicine, though he admits the thought of service in ministry still lingers.
After medical school, Nwankwor came to the United States on a training visa. He completed a three-year residency, followed by the required three years of service in the country. He then pursued a fellowship in pediatric critical care, training in intensive care units that handle the most severe childhood illnesses.
In the ICU, he says, doctors manage children at the extreme of illness. Whether it is the brain, lungs, heart, or kidneys, specialists use advanced equipment such as ventilators, dialysis machines, and cardiac support systems to keep patients alive while their bodies heal. The experience, he notes, deepened his understanding of critical care and health systems.
Nwankwor also worked in academic medicine, teaching residents and managing complex cases. He says the role exposed him to both clinical practice and the importance of strong health policies. For him, two qualities define effective leadership in health: vision and selflessness.
He points to Nigeria’s health challenges, noting that only a small percentage of citizens can access quality care at home or abroad. The majority, he says, lack insurance and cannot afford treatment, often exhausting limited resources on preventable conditions.
To address this, Nwankwor advocates for strengthening the National Health Insurance Scheme. He suggests exploring community-based models where government, individuals, and communities share responsibility for paying premiums. Such a system, he argues, would expand access without leaving the poor behind.
Having lived abroad for nearly 18 years, he says he remains connected to home. He frequently brings doctors from overseas to support medical outreach in Nigeria and insists that he remains “human before American.” His love for people, he says, predates any professional achievement.
Reflecting on his upbringing, Nwankwor recalls how his family compared him with peers in the village. That comparison, he says, taught him early that nothing good comes easy and that steadfastness matters. The lesson, he adds, has stayed with him through medical school and beyond.
He believes his background in medicine, academia, and public health positions him to advocate effectively for health and social policies in the National Assembly. For him, representing Orumba North and South is an extension of the service he has practiced for decades.
Nwankwor says his aspiration is not about personal gain but about giving back to a community that shaped him. He hopes to use legislative office to push for policies that improve healthcare access, education, and youth opportunities in the constituency.
In closing, he says his life has been guided by the belief that good things require sacrifice and persistence. That same belief, he says, will guide him if elected to serve the people of Orumba North and South.
