Brig. Gen.
Frederick Biniamaka Chijuka, rtd

Brig. Gen. Frederick Biniamaka Chijuka was born into the family of late Mr. John and Mrs. Susan Mgbotubo Chijuka on 20^th June, 1940. He started his primary education in 1946 at St. William’s Catholic School in Ibadan but had to relocate to St. Paul’s Catholic School, Issele-Uku, then in Western Region of Nigeria when his family moved back to his home town of Issele-Uku and completed his primary education in 1954. He was fortunate to be among the first group of students who were admitted to the ‘Teachers Grade II’ for a four year course instead of five years on experimental basis. Three quarters of the students made it successfully and the arrangement was adopted as standard to train straight course Grade II teachers to meet the demand of the compulsory Primary Education of the Action Group political party which dominated the then Western Region.

Having completed Grade II in 1958, He taught in Catholic Schools in Ozoro and Ovrode in Isoko area of Delta State. By the time he left Ozoro in 1961, he had passed his Ordinary and Advanced Levels papers in General Certificate of Education (G.C.E). In June 1963, he was admitted with the second set of students to study at the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. In June 1966, he graduated with a B.A. (Hons.) in English and Literary Studies. He went back to Ozoro in August 1966 to teach English Language and Literature at Notre Dame Grammar School but had to leave for St. Pius Grammar School, Onicha-Ugbo, because of the Nigerian Civil War which broke out in July 1967. He taught English and Literature in the College until 1971 when he joined the Nigerian Army at the rank of Captain as a Public Relations Officer. In 1972, he attended Daily Times School of Journalism for twelve months and obtained a Diploma in Journalism in 1973 and became a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (FNIPR).

He started his military career at 21 Infantry Brigade, Nigerian Army (Main) in Enugu. In 1975, he attended Defence Information School (DINFOS) in Indianapolis, USA where he obtained another Diploma in Journalism. Following the great purge of workers in all sectors of the workforce of the Federal Government when late General Murtala Mohammed became the Head of State and Commander of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, he was posted as the head of the Public Relations outfit of 3^rd Marine Commando based in Jos, Plateau State.

Between 1980 and 1981, he attended the Military Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State. In 1981, having completed the Staff College course, and bagged psc (Passed Staff College), he was promoted from the rank of Major, which he attained in 1976, to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was posted to 2^nd Infantry Division Nigerian Army in 1984 and became the Director, Directorate of Army Public Relations in 1987, the same year he was promoted Colonel.

In 1978, he was part of the Army Public Relations Officers who established the SOJA Newsletter, which carried information and enlightenment about the Nigerian Army. In 1993, he became the first Director, Defence Information (DDI). Later that same year, he was promoted Brigadier General (one star general). When he proposed the idea of starting a newsletter in 1995 for the Defence Headquarters, it was readily accepted and Defence Journal was established. He voluntarily retired from the Nigerian Army on 21^st September 1996, after having completed the compulsory 35 years of dedicated service to his country.

He is married to Mrs. Josephine Ndidiamaka Chijuka (nee Nwaobi) of Ogbeidigbo Quarters, Issele-Uku and they are blessed with six children, four girls and two boys, and nine grandchildren.

He is currently the Managing Director of Venus Resources Limited and Epicentre Nigeria Limited located at Tafawa Balewa Complex, Lagos.

He was elected unanimously as the National President of the Issele-Uku Development Union (IDU) in the year 2000 and re-elected in 2004 for a second and last term as prescribed in the constitution of the organisation. With his dedicated and committed team, he has brought some innovations which have helped to bring the people of Issele-Uku together as members of one family.

He is a practising Catholic and belongs to some of the organisations of the church like the Knights of St. John International, Commandery 447 at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, Yaba, member of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Director of Charity Foundation, Catholic Men Organisation (CMO), St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Ikeja.