Mary Diotanuru Ogbimi
Headmistress of Ethiope Primary School
Mary Ogbimi was born on October 10, 1950 in to the families of Chief Johnson Onorukaye Aghoghovbia of Urukidioka Quarters, Eku in Ethiope East Local Government Area, and Madam Felicia Ereni Asagba of Amukpe in Sapele Local Government Area, both of Delta State, Nigeria.
She attended what was then the CMS School, Amukpe, now Ethiope Primary School I, Amukpe from 1957-1962 where she obtained the Primary School Leaving Certificate and proceeded to Anglican Secondary Modern School, Sapele from 1963-1965. In 1967, she married school teacher Thomas Yonemeguare Ogbimi. She then went to Nana Teacher's Training College in Warri from 1970 to 1974 where she obtained her Grade II Teacher's Certificate and was appointed as a teacher on August 15, 1974.
In 1979, she received admission to the University of Benin to receive her Associate Certificate in Education degree which was awarded to her in 1980. She was then transferred to the Secondary Education Service and appointed as a Mathematics teacher at Okpe Gammar School, Sapele, where she taught for nine years. In 1989, she became the Assistant Headmistress to Ethiope Primary School, Okurighwre-Sapele. She later received her Bachelors of Education (Honors) from the University of Port-Harcourt in 1996.
During that time, she was promoted to Headmistress at Abeke Primary School II, Sapele, in 1993. She then served as Headmistress of Ethiope Primary School, Okurighwre-Sapele from 1996 to 2000, Ogodo Primary School I, Sapele from 2000-2005, and has served as Headmistress of Ethiope Primary School I, Amukpe-Sapele since September of 2005. She currently has the status of Headmistress Merit Grade.
Mary is married and has seven children, all graduates except the youngest who is an undergraduate at the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. She is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Amulkpe-Sapele, and was honored with the award of a Knight of the Order of St. John International in recognition of her contribution towards the growth of the church.
Victor Jakpor
Mission Africa was started when Phoenix resident, Victor Jakpor, returned to his native Nigeria, and his village of Sapele, for a visit. He wanted to make a difference in the lives of the people in a city from which he had been absent for almost twenty years. In the spring of 2006, Christ called to Victor during a presentation on world hunger. It was time to make a difference, and Mission Africa was born.
In October of 2006, Victor was joined by several others on a two-week fact-finding trip to Sapele. Videographers filmed the adventure, bringing home a compelling story of a village with every reason to be hopeless, yet populated by people with high hopes for their future.
