Dr. Effenji F. Odey was born on the 5th of April, 1954 in Ikahor – Ochagbe, Afrike in Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross River State. Attended St. David’s Primary School Ochagbe – Afrike between 1962 and 1968, where he completed his elementary six in flying colours. He enrolled in the famous Mary Knoll College, Okuku- Ogoja between 1969 and 1975 and completed his WASC and HSC in 1973 and 1975 respectively. He was among the best graduating students of the set. He proceeded to the University of Wisconsin, United States of America (USA) in 1976 and completed a B.Sc. degree in Economics/Business Administration in 1980. In the same University he pursed and completed M.Sc. degree in Economic Development in 1981. Dr. Effenji Odey returned to Nigeria in late 1981 and did his NYSC as a lecturer at the Department of Management Studies, University of Jos, Jos and rounded off his service year in 1982. He took up an appointment with the former Polytechnic, Calabar as Assistant Registrar between 1983 and 1988. From 1988 to 1991, He served as Chief Commercial Officer, Cross river State Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He was promoted to the rank of Assistant Director in the Cross River Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 1994. Between 1997 and 2004, he served as Director of Commerce and in 2004, he was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Cross River State Ministry of Finance. His love for academics pushed Dr. Effenji Odey to enroll in the University of Calabar for an MBA and Ph.D programmes which he successfully completed in 1992 and 2002.