CHIEF OMUYA was born on 9th February, 1954, in Okene, Kogi State, in Nigeria. He attended the Government Secondary School, Okene, between 1968 and 1972 where he obtained Division One (Distinction) in the West African School Certificate Examination (WAEC).
Between 1973 and 1974, he was at Offa Grammar School, Offa, Kwara State, where he graduated with distinction in the Higher School Certificate Examinations (HSC).
A man with serial records of distinctions, Chief J.O. Omuya (as he is fondly called) graduated with First Class (B.Sc.) Honours degree in Accounting from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, in 1977 and M.Sc. in Accounting and Finance from the same institution in 1980.
Chief Omuya is a recipient of several honours, prizes and awards. He won the best Arts Students Scholarship at Offa Grammar School, Offa in 1974, Isa Dutse Memorial Prize for the best all-round performance in the Faculty of Administration, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1975.
Other honours to his credit are: National Merit Award (Scholarship) in 1977, Bruce Great Batch Prize for the Outstanding all-round performance by a graduate in the Faculty of Administration, and Bank of the North Prize for the top graduating student in Accounting atABU, Zaria in 1977.
He is a man with voracious appetite for professionalism.
He is a Fellow/Member of many professional bodies among which are: The British Institute of Management (MBIM), the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, United Kingdom; (FCCA); the Institute of Management Consultants (MIMC); Nigeria Institute of Management (MNIM); the Institute of Directors (MIoD); and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCITN) among others.
Chief J.O. Omuya is also a recipient of Certificate of Merit for selfless service as Editor-In-Chief and Chairman, Editorial Board, Money Market Association of Nigeria (1995) and Chairman, Advisory Committee, Money Market Association of Nigeria (1996).
The list is in exhaustive, but the icing on the cake was when he was conferred with the degree of DOCTOR OF LETTERS, Honoris Causa “for his contributions to the development of humanity, his entrepreneurial acumen and intellectual ingenuity”, by the Kogi State University, Anyigba in 2005.
In the course of Chief Dr.Omuya’s working experience, he traversed both the public and private sectors as a Trainee Accountant, Senior Consultant, Lecturer, Assistant General Manager, Deputy General Manager, Director, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of first class organizations.
He has served as member of Board of Directors and Trustees of about seventeen (17) nationally and internationally acclaimed financial organizations, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Chief J.O. Omuya, who had gone through the pangs of being a single orphan at the early age of his life, knew too well how it feels to be an orphan; but with diligence and perseverance, he elbowed his way from grass to grace.
He is the Founder of the Chief J.O. Omuya Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), established and incorporated in Nigeria to promote welfare activities aimed at the alleviation of human suffering and amelioration of underdevelopment of the society.
This is with particular reference to offering scholarships to indigent but brilliant students and orphans at both secondary and tertiary levels of education.
It also provides modest lifeline for widows; enabling beneficiaries acquire skills in their respective area of interest such as clothe, weaving, carpentry, masonry, welding, tailoring, vulcanising, etc.
He has written books on accounting and has presented papers at conferences, workshops and seminars. Chief (Dr) Joshua Ozigi Omuya is happily married and blessed with children, among whom are professional engineers, lawyer, pharmacist and professional accountant, to the glory of God.
