Simon Ekpa, born on March 21, 1985, in Ohaukwu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, is a Nigerian-Finnish lawyer, political activist, and former athlete. Originally from a region that was part of the short-lived Biafra state, Ekpa's early achievements include winning a silver medal in the 100 meters at the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships. However, he had to leave athletics due to a knee problem and, in September 2021, he denounced Nigeria and vowed to return the medal he had won for the country.
Ekpa relocated to Lahti, Finland, in 2007, where he integrated into Finnish society by learning the language, obtaining citizenship, and completing military service. His political career in Finland began in 2012, and he has since run for office in the 2017 Finnish municipal elections and the 2022 Finnish county elections under the National Coalition Party. As of 2023, Ekpa serves as a city councillor and a member of the public transport board for the Lahti region.
In addition to his political work, Ekpa has been involved in the legal field since 2009, though he is not an attorney in Finland. He claims to hold a Master of Law degree from Aberystwyth University, although this has not been confirmed by the institution. Since 2019, Ekpa has been an active participant in the Biafra independence movement, taking on a prominent role as the lead broadcaster for Radio Biafra and currently serving as the leader of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile and its military wing, the Biafra Liberation Army. His business ventures have been mentioned by Yle, but specific details remain scarce.
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