Rev. Joseph C. Ibekwe, FSGS
Joseph Chinenyeze Ibekwe is a Nigerian-born philosopher, journalist, author, leadership educator, and social entrepreneur. He is an honourary Professor of Public Leadership & Governance at FLED International Leadership Institute, Abuja, Nigeria.
He is the originator of Fledism Leadership Philosophy, aschool of thought that teaches that the primary purpose of public leadership is to enhance the quality of human life, and every other thing is secondary.
Joseph has a multi-dsiplinary professional experience as a Para-medic; a journalist; a social entrepreneur; a public issues moderator; a Gender practitioner; a publisher,and author of several books.
He is the Founder and President of FLED Group Africa, which compirse a family of social enterprise organizations, committed to promoting sustainable human development in Africa.
Joseph was born on November 12, 1964 in a small rural village called Umuchie Ezeagbogu, Ezinihitte Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria. He grew up as a child srivivor of the Nigeria- Biafra war of 1967-1970, the experience of which inspired his life puusuit for peace, leadership and devleopment in Africa.
He is a devoted lifelong learner, knowledge creator, and a teacher.
Joseph was formerly a development journalist in the 1990s with the Daily Times of Nigeria in Lagos where he horned his journalistic skills and reported extensively on issues about health, sciences, agriculture, environment, and conservation.
Over the years, he has come to be referred to as the Apostle of Public Leadership, because of his pioneering work in the filed of transformational public leadership development in Nigeria and Africa.
As a social entreprenuer, has has established a number of organizations including Foundation for Leadership & Education Development; an NGO established in 1995 to build the leadership and entrepreneurial capacity of youths to enable them participate in development processes.
Also, he did set up FLED International Leadership Institute –a graduate leadership school established in 1999 to train transformational public leaders in Nigeria and beyond.
He is the inspiration behind the formation of Africa Centre for Public Leadership – ACPL, a Pan-African professional Membership organization committed to promoting the principles and practice of transformational leadership in Africa.Membership of ACPL now exists in different countries in Africa, US, Canada, and UK.
Through the different organizations under FLED Group Africa, Joseph has trained and mentored over 10, 000 youths and mid-career professionals in leadership, in the past 30 years.
He was elected as a Fellow of Salzburg Global Seminar, Austria in 1996 where he spent some time to engage with other leaders around the world to discuss on global development issues. Later on in 2010, he was awarded the CSO Fellow of the World Bank/IMF, which enabled him to spent time at the World Bank and IMF Offices in Washington DC, USA, learning about the Group Global financial house.
Between 2007 and 2008, Jospeh served as Member, National Working Group of Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM-NWG) on the appointment of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. This assignment took him round the country as he particiapted in organizing citizens meetings in different states in preparation for Nigeria’s first continental Peer Review.
Joseph Ibekwe is a trained UNESCO Development Expert Leader from UNESCO Training Centre, San Sebastian, Spain.
He is an Amazon-published author of several books including The Quest for Political Leadership & Citizens’ Democracy; Politics is Kingdom Business; College Prefects are Leaders; Effective Writing for Career Excellence; How to Do More By Being More; Take Charge of Your Life, Create the Life You Desire; Promoting Sustainable Human Development through Mentoring; The Audacity of Pursuit, Power of Focused Perseverance; and others.
He is the lead coach at The Joseph Coaching International as awell as the Publisher of Future World Magazine
He has been a consultant to UNESCO Nigeria Office, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Federal Ministry of Finance, in the areas of leadership development and strategic communications.
In recognition of his intellectual contributions to the field of leadership education in Nigeria, particularly the enunciation of the Fledism Leadership Philosophy, he was appointed and conferred with an Honourary Professor of Public Leadership & Governance,by Freedom University & Theological Seminary, Portsmouth USA, Africa Campus in June 2025.
Joseph Ibekwe’s formal academic background is intriguing and multi-disciplinary. He spent three years at University of Abuja where he studied for a Postgraduate and Masters Degree in Gender Studies.
He also holds a Post-Graduate Diploma is Education from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos (1994)
He completed his Higher National Diploma in Science Technology, majoring in Microbiology, from the Institute of Management & Technology, Enugu in 1989. He also had a National Diploma in Science Technology at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri in 1986, formerly College of Technology, Nekede, Owerri.
Joseph is also a graduate of the Kenneth E. Hagin’s Rhema Bible Training Centre, Nigeria where he specialized in Spiritual and Societal Leadership.
He completed his secondary education at the famous and prestigious Mbaise Secondary School (MSS), Aboh Mbaise, Imo State in 1983. MSS Never fails!
Joseph is a regular speaker at local, national, and international events on diverse development issues, including Bible teaching and preaching.
He is an ordained Reverend Gentleman and a Member of Rhema Ministerial Association International, Nigeria.
He is a Bible teacher, preacher, and Lead Pastor of Chapel of Grace Transformation Ministry, Inc, Abuja.
Hislife philosophy is this: “Don’t allow what you cannot do stop you from doing what you can”.
Jospeh loves gardening, reading and being left alone to think! He lives with his family in Abuja – Nigeria.
He published his autobiography in November 2024 to mark his 60th birthday titled, The Audacity of Pursuit: Power of Focused Perseverance. You can get a copy here
Joseph is passionate about what he does.Part of his lifetime goals are:
To work for peace and reconciliation, wherever possible;
To educate on public leadership and responsible citizenship; and
Tohelp individuals maximize their potentials and intangible assets for higher quality life.
To bring as many possible people as possible to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ without pressure or push.
He invites you to connect with him on Facebook
To purchase any of of his books, please click here
Joseph is available to Serve You
He is available to offer institutional consultancy services on Human-centred development.
He looks forward to invitations to serve on short sabbatical in any organization, NGO, Church, government or educational institution to teach, preach, write books, share experiences and knowledge on development issues.
You may make inquires to invite him to speak at your event, conduct in-house workshop, hold coaching sessions with your team, anywhere.
You may call or send whatsapp to:
+234-803-326-1363 or
+234-906 306 9744
Email: jibekwe907@gmail.com ceo@jci.com.ng
Terms and Conditions Apply
