Ofehe Sunny

Sunny Ofehe is a Nigeria-born, Dutch environmental rights and human rights activist and a Nigerian political candidate whose activities focus on the environmental degradation and human rights abuses in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria. He was a governorship aspirant in the 2019 Nigerian governorship election in the oil-rich Delta State under the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) party, and a Delta State Governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections under the Young Progressive Party (YPP). Sunny Oghale Ofehe was born on 1 February 1972 in Lagos, Nigeria, to Chief Bernard Aghogho and Theresa Ofehe of Iyede, Isoko North Council area of Delta State.

Ofehe completed his primary education at Ogelle Primary School, Ughelli, Delta State, in 1983. His secondary education was completed at Unity School Agbarho, also in Delta State, in 1988. In 1991, Ofehe gained admission into the University of Benin to study industrial chemistry and graduated in 1995. After the annulled election of the late Chief Moshood Abiola, Ofehe became an activist while in university, mobilizing students to protest the military junta’s power grab, advocating for MKO Abiola’s confirmation as president.

Ofehe fled Nigeria for the Netherlands on 26 November 1995, seeking political asylum after the Abacha-led military government targeted him. His mother, Mrs. Theresa Noghayin Ofehe, sold their family home in Benin-City to facilitate his departure. He arrived in Amsterdam on 27 November 1995 and was processed in Zevenaar before moving to an asylum camp in Kampen. In 1996, he relocated to Rotterdam with the help of a childhood friend, meeting his current wife, Mrs. Dorothy Faluy-Ofehe, and raising four sons.

Ofehe founded the non-governmental organization Hope for the Niger Delta Campaigns (HNDC) in Rotterdam in 2005, focusing on raising global awareness about the Niger Delta’s environmental and human rights crises. He adopted a non-violent approach to advocacy, playing a key role in ending hostage-taking in the region and securing the release of kidnapped oil workers. His legal efforts, including a 2013 case against Royal Dutch Shell, contributed to international attention on environmental justice.

Ofehe’s activism led to high-profile engagements, such as addressing the Nigerian House of Representatives’ Ad-Hoc Committee on the Niger Delta Crisis in 2009 and hosting international conferences in The Hague. He also invited European politicians to visit the Niger Delta, sparking debates on Shell’s operations and prompting a Dutch parliamentary hearing in 2011. Despite harassment, including a 2022 Senate inquiry clearing his name after 13 years, he continues facing border restrictions in Nigeria.

In 2015, Ofehe led a Dutch team to document the suffering of Niger Delta communities affected by oil spills, leading to media coverage on Dutch TV. Since 2011, he has addressed the United Nations Forum on Minority Issues in Geneva, participating in events with UNPO and the European Parliament. He advocated for the Warri Kingdom’s EU collaboration, discussing economic and environmental sustainability with EU officials in Brussels.

Ofehe’s political career includes running for Delta State governorship in 2017 (APC) and 2023 (YPP), where he was unanimously affirmed as the YPP candidate. After losing, he became the Executive Assistant to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on External Relations and Diaspora Affairs. He was appointed Vice President for Environmental Sustainability & European Relations by the Africa CEO Club.

His family life includes a 2004 marriage to Dorothy Faluy-Ofehe, with four sons and a granddaughter. Tragically, his 60-year-old mother was murdered in 2007, and he received a delayed funeral in 2017, prompting him to reconsider public service. Ofehe holds honorary degrees, including a PhD in Public Policy from Prowess University, and serves on boards like the Global Centre for Innovative Leaders.

Honored with awards such as the ‘Global Mindset Media Achievers Excellence Award’ (2024), ‘Global Good Governance Ambassador’ (2022), and ‘Outstanding African Environmentalist’ (2012), Ofehe’s work blends activism, diplomacy, and advocacy for Niger Delta rights. His advocacy extends to youth development, peacebuilding, and EU-Africa relations, reflecting a lifelong commitment to justice and sustainable development.