From Barefoot Boy to the United Nations/ILO: Dr Eleazar Iwuji on the 5 Most Influential People Who Shaped Him

S03E05 - Dr Eleazar Iwuji

In this deeply human conversation, Dr Eleazar Iwuji—born in rural Nigeria, a teacher-turned-academic, judge of Nigeria’s National Industrial Court, and later a United Nations/ILO official—shares the 5 most influential people in his life and how they forged his character, career, faith and service.

You’ll hear how parental courage, a mentor’s belief, a wife’s wisdom, friends’ extraordinary generosity, and a Mauritanian UN leader’s advocacy propelled a journey from no shoes at 14 to global impact.

Who is Dr Eleazar Iwuji?

• Nigerian educator, former Judge, National Industrial Court (Lagos)
• Later International Labour Organization (UN) official
• Author of Memoir of a Country Boy
• Father to accomplished children in medicine, diplomacy, the arts, and academia

The 5 Most Influential People

• His Parents (Mother & Father) – Faith, discipline, equality, courage (“How can a tiger have a sheep?”), and a fierce commitment to education.
• Alfred (mentor/friend) – Spotted potential, mapped an alternative route via teacher training, and armed him with better materials (e.g., Dudley Stamp’s Geography of the World) to pass key exams.
• Dorothy (his late wife) – Intelligent, decisive, faith-filled partner; community-builder and home-science entrepreneur who trained street girls in Addis Ababa; her counsel steadied him after setbacks and clinched the ILO decision.
• Emmanuel & Jonathan (college friends) – Lifelong allies who funded £300 of the £450 needed to get him to the UK—sacrificing months of salary and changing his trajectory.
• Elimane Kane (Mauritania, ILO) – Senior ILO leader who kept opening doors, commissioning research, and ultimately recruiting him to the UN/ILO.

What you’ll learn

• How character + community beat circumstance
• Practical models of mentorship, partnership, generosity, and leadership - Why investing in education compounds across generations
• The power of faith, humility, service, and respect for every person