Introduction

Ipalibo Gogo Banigo is a Nigerian medical doctor, politician and the first female Deputy Governor of Rivers State. A member of the Peoples Democratic Party, who has held various important offices at the Rivers State Ministry of Health. She has previously served as the Secretary to the Government of Rivers State and the Head of Service of the State.

Profile

D.O.B – 20 December, 1952

State of Origin – Rivers State

Place of birth –  Degema, Rivers State

Occupation – medical officer, politician, medical doctor

Education

School	Qualification	Year
University of London,London, United Kingdom	Diploma in Tropical Hygiene; Diploma in Dermatology	1990-1992
Harvard University School of Public Health, Massachusetts, USA	Masters Degree
University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State	Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
Queens College, Yaba, Lagos State	Higher School Certificate
Queens College, Yaba, Lagos State	West African Senior Secondary Certificate  (Division One)

Work History

Place	Position	Date
University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu State	Member, Governing Board
University of Calabar, Cross Rivers State	Member, Governing Council
National Primary Health Care Development Agency	Executive Director; Secretary
Shell Petroleum Development Company	Public Health Adviser
Rivers State Ministry of Health	Director of Public Health Services; Acting Commissioner;Director-General; Permanent Secretary.
Rivers State School of Health Technology, Rivers State	Principal	1985
University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State	Honorary consultant dermatologist
Rivers State Port Health Service, Rivers State	Registrar of Births and Senior Medical Officer-in-charge

Career

Banigo started her career at the Rivers State Port Health Service, where she served as Registrar of Births and Senior Medical Officer-in-charge. She was honorary consultant dermatologist at the University of Port Harcourt, after which she became principal of Rivers State School of Health Technology in 1985. During her time at the Rivers State Ministry of Health, she held five responsible offices including Director of Public Health Services, Acting Commissioner, Director-General and Permanent Secretary.

Politics

On 5 October 1995, Banigo was appointed Secretary to the Government of Rivers State, this she would maintain until 5 July 1999. She further served for five months, from May 1998, as Head of Service of Rivers State.

During her service, she assumed the positions of Director of Public Health Services, Acting Commissioner, Director-General and Permanent Secretary. She achieved prominence first in 1995, as Secretary to the Government of Rivers State before serving as Head of Service of the state. In December 2014, Ezenwo Wike selected her as his running mate in the 2015 election. She was elected Deputy Governor and assumed office on 29 May 2015.

While retired, Banigo continued to provide professional services and was later made Public Health Adviser of the Shell Petroleum Development Company in Nigeria. Additionally, she held the offices of both executive director and Secretary at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency. Some of her memberships are Governing Council of University of Calabar, Governing Board of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Rivers State Food and Nutrition Committee, Rivers State Hospital Management Board and Reference Board DFID. She was also appointed Project Director of UNFPA, UNICEF and Chairman of the Rivers State Relief Committee. In December 2014, she was chosen to be the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Ezenwo Wike in the 2015 election. Both PDP members were elected and took office on 29 May 2015. Banigo currently serves as the 6th and first female Deputy Governor of Rivers State.

On April 29, 2021, She was among the Health Consultants present at a colloquium organised by St Racheal’s Pharmaceuticals Nigeria to commemorate 2021 World Malaria Day held in Lagos, presenting some of the strategies on how to archive Zero-Malaria environment in Nigeria in the next 10 years. On September 20, 2020, she became the Chairperson of seven Man panel inaugurated by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to activate some moribund health facilities in the state.

Global achievements (Awards and Honors)

• 2017 Distinguished Service Star of Rivers State
• 1968 British Broadcasting Corporation Award for Students Poetry