Ajuri Ngelale is a Nigerian journalist and politician who currently serves as the presidential spokesman and special adviser on media and publicity to President Bola Tinubu. He was formerly the senior special assistant on public affairs to President Muhammadu Buhari and a co-principal spokesperson of Tinubu-Shettima presidential campaign organization. He is also an author of two books and a former reporter and presenter at Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Channels Television.
We’d be seeing Ajuri Ngelale’s biography, date of birth, age, early life, family, wife, children, career, net worth, houses, cars, social media handles, and more.
Full name: Ajuri Obari Ngelale
Date of birth: 13th November, 1986
Age: 37 years
Nationality: Nigeria
Parents: Chief Precious Osaro Ngelale, Mrs Kobo Roseline Precious
Marital status: Married
Children: Three children
Education: University of Kansas, USA
Occupation: Journalist
Net worth:
Ajuri Ngelale Biography and Early Life
Ajuri Ngelale was born on 13 November 1986 in Platteville, Wisconsin, United States to a Nigerian father of Eleme origin, Chief Precious Osaro Ngelale, and a German-American mother Diane. His father was a geologist and politician who served as a minister of state for water resources in the federal cabinet and a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the Third Republic. His mother was a social welfare director of the Rivers State Government under Governor Melford Okilo.
Ngelale grew up in the creeks of Ogoniland in the Niger Delta, where he witnessed the environmental degradation and social injustice caused by oil exploration. He developed an interest in politics and journalism from an early age, inspired by his father’s activism and his mother’s humanitarian work.
He attended Government Secondary School in Port Harcourt for his secondary education before moving to the United States for his university education. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, USA.
Career
Ngelale returned to Nigeria in 2011 to participate in the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He was deployed to AIT where he started his journalism career as a youth corps member. He was retained by AIT as an investigative reporter and later served as a news editor, producer and presenter from 2011 to 2016.
At AIT, he produced two critically acclaimed public affairs documentary series: State of the Nation (2012) and Diary from the Delta (2016). The former examined the challenges facing Nigeria’s democracy and development, while the latter exposed the plight of the people living in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
He left AIT in 2016 and joined Channels Television where he served as a co-anchor of popular public policy discussion program Sunrise Daily and produced and presented Africa’s Future Leaders, a documentary series that profiled young African leaders uplifting disadvantaged populations through their individual efforts.
In 2019, he resigned from Channels TV to become the lead media content producer for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Next Level Presidential Campaign for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari. He was also appointed as the senior special adviser on public affairs to President Buhari and served in this position till 2023 when Buhari left office.
In October 2022, Ngelale was appointed as the co-principal spokesperson of Tinubu-Shettima Presidential campaign Organization, alongside Hadiza Bala Usman. He played a key role in crafting and communicating the campaign messages and strategies that led to the victory of Tinubu-Shettima at the 2023 presidential election.
Following their inauguration in May 2023, President Tinubu appointed Ngelale as his official spokesman and special adviser on media and publicity. In this capacity, Ngelale is responsible for managing the president’s media relations, public communication and social media engagement.
Personal Life
Ngelale is married to an Igbo lady, whom he met during his NYSC at AIT. They have three children: two sons and a daughter. He is fluent in English, Eleme, Igbo, and Hausa languages.
He is an avid reader and writer who enjoys traveling, sports, and music. He is also a philanthropist who supports various causes such as education, health, youth empowerment, and environmental protection.
He is the author of two books: The Struggle for Nigeria’s Soul (2018) and Buhari: From General to President (2020). The former is a collection of his articles on Nigerian politics, economy, security and society, while the latter is a biography of President Muhammadu Buhari that chronicles his life, career and achievements.
Net Worth
Ngelale’s net worth is estimated at $2 million as of 2023. He earns his income from his salary as a presidential spokesman, his book royalties, his investments in real estate and media, and his endorsements from various brands.
Social Media Handles
You can connect with Ajuri Ngelale on:
Facebook: Ajuri Ngelale
Instagram @ajuri.ngelale
Twitter @AjuriNgelale
Ajuri Ngelale is one of the most influential journalists and politicians in Nigeria today. He has risen from a humble background to become a trusted adviser and spokesperson to two presidents. He has also made a name for himself as an investigative reporter, a documentary producer, an author, and a public affairs analyst. He is a role model for many young Nigerians who aspire to make a positive impact in their country and the world.