Adrian Christopher Ehiremen Okpere was born on the 11th of April 1980 at St Nicholas Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, to the loving, extremely close-knit family of Dr Kisito Okpere and Mrs Zena Okpere. His father came from the illustrious Okpere family from Uromi, Esan North-East LGA. His mother was raised in a prominent, well-respected family in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The Okperes were committed Christians and devout Catholics, so Adrian was baptised at St Anthony Catholic Church in Gbaja, Surulere, Lagos. Dr Okpere was a brilliant engineer and business leader with Shell, while Mrs  Zena Okpere was a seasoned educationist from a long line of educationists. She was also a dedicated Sunday school teacher. 

Adrian was the fourth of seven children, the middle child with three preceding siblings, Eugene, Bernadine, and Lucille, and siblings Gerald, Valerie, and Cyril after him. As children, Adrian and his siblings spent a lot of time with their Uncle Eugene, Aunty Mary and their children (their first cousins):  Belinda,  Kizito, Jermaine, and Valentine. Together, the 11 of them forged a strong bond that has stood the test of time. They were a boisterous bunch. Adrian was a quiet, thoughtful, and caring boy. Yet, when paired with Gerald, his immediate younger brother, and his cousin Kizito, there was a lot of laughter, stories, and some escapades. Adrian had a fun-filled childhood growing up within the Shell community and made many friends. He lived in Lagos, Warri, The Netherlands, and Port Harcourt. He was raised with strong Christian values. 

Adrian began his primary school education at Air Force Primary School, Victoria Island in Lagos. In 1987, when he was seven, his father, Dr Kisito Okpere, who worked with Shell, was transferred to The  Netherlands. Adrian then went to The International School of The Hague, where he completed his primary education. He adjusted well to life in The Hague. He made friends quickly and began to take an interest in football. In 1988, he received his First Holy Communion at St Aloysius Catholic Church, with  Rev. Fr. Tyler officiating. 

While in The Netherlands, Adrian and his siblings had piano lessons. When the family returned to Lagos in 1989, in true Adrian style, he continued to hone his piano skills and caught the attention of his music teacher. He received an invitation to play the piano and represented his school on a television show on NTA 2, Channel 5 in Lagos. Watching Adrian confidently play the piano on television was a proud moment for his family. His secondary school stint was split between Adrao International School, Lagos; Bereton Secondary School, Port Harcourt; and ISS (International Secondary School), Port Harcourt. In Port Harcourt, he received his sacrament of Confirmation along with his younger brother Gerald, at St John Catholic Church, Rumukoroshe. 

In 1999, Adrian began his undergraduate studies at Coventry University in the UK. He was a conscientious and dedicated student with an enquiring mind. In 2002, he graduated  with First Class Honours in Computing Networking & Communications Technology. Eugene, the eldest sibling, subsequently dubbed him 'The boy genius'. He was the only child to follow in his father’s footsteps with a first class degree classification.

A year later, in 2003, Adrian bagged an MSc in Engineering Business Management at the prestigious University of  Warwick. It was at Warwick that Adrian's love for football grew, and his skills became evident. As a  member of the postgraduate football team, he was instrumental in his team winning the inter-departmental  postgraduate football competition. 

Soon after his master's programme, Adrian returned to Nigeria to begin a role as an e-business consultant at Nextzon Business Services, Lagos. In 2006, he joined Shell as a reservoir engineer for field development studies and began his 18-year career at Shell. At Shell, Adrian developed a reputation for his technical brilliance, attention to detail, and professional project delivery. He worked across various functions and held various job roles that included Reservoir Engineer for Asset Development and Execution, Asset Business Opportunity Manager, and Supply Chain Integrated Planner. He received various commendations on his performance and special recognition awards in those functions. He published technical papers in various professional bodies in Nigeria and abroad. One of such publications earned him the ‘Second Best Exhibitor Award’ at the SPE/NAICE conference in 2014. He was a brilliant mind with the right mix of knowledge, skills, and attitude. Adrian was an inspiring leader and dedicated team member. He always had a positive disposition at work, even when working under  pressure.

Adrian's Family Life 

In December 2004, Adrian met Suzi Arabome, who would become his wife, at a company Christmas party held at Dr Okpere’s home in Bourdillon, Ikoyi, Lagos. She was a third-year student at university undergoing her internship at Shell. She attended the Christmas party alongside other staff members at  the Okpere’s residence. Adrian, a patriot and firm believer in the future of Nigeria, had just returned from the UK to embark on his National Youth Service. Their relationship started as a sweet friendship, which lasted a year, and later blossomed into a loving courtship. They would talk for long hours about everything and forged a strong bond that they knew what  each other was thinking. Their long discussions and daily evening conversations started in courtship and continued throughout their time together. By February 2009, they were married, and exactly a year later, they welcomed Chrystal, a cherubic baby  whose smile reached her eyes. The following year, in November 2011, twins Justin and Jordan arrived — a double blessing that showcased God’s faithfulness. 

Adrian was the archetypal family man. The love and devotion he poured on his lovely wife, Suzi, was beautiful to behold. Till his last day, he doted on her like she was a new bride. They shared every aspect of their lives; they were each other’s confidant, sounding board, prayer partner, and soul mate. Adrian undertook fatherhood as a ministry. His foodie partner was his daughter Chrystal, who shared his love for food. He would take her out on father-daughter dates, from fine dining to burger spots, where they would customise their menus and build burgers you never thought of. In Chrystal, he had a veritable mentee in the Catholic faith. From an early age, he taught her the value of deep prayer meditations, the power of the Blessed Sacrament, and an attitude of worship. He imbibed the principle of being early for prayers and masses; he would often go ahead to be early, not just ‘on time’. The holy Rosary was a gift Adrian gave his children. Every evening, without fail, his whole household, including staff, gathered to say the Rosary, and he would insist they meditated on each mystery.

An avid athlete, he enjoyed playing football with Justin and Jordan. But being tackled on the pitch by the twins often came second to snuggling with them to watch cartoons. Their daddy-sons' cartoon moments were priceless. 

Adrian loved his parents and siblings. His father was his mentor and advisor in all aspects of life. He greatly missed Dr Okpere’s counsel when he passed, and in dire situations, he would often think: ‘What would Daddy do?’ He loved his mother tenderly and was very protective of her, shielding her from all  worries. He believed her prayers were a cloak over him, and her love was his banner. His siblings were  pillars of support for him, and he, in turn, was a dependable sibling to them. 

Adrian’s mother-in-law was special to him and would often make him exotic soups, with ofe nsala being his favourite. Whenever she could not attend mass, he would bring home a bulletin and give her a synopsis of the day's sermon. He also loved his in-laws and kept in touch with many of them, far and wide, some of whom even Suzi wasn’t always in touch with. Adrian always made an effort to reach out and support them.

Adrian loved God and walked with God. 

From an early age, he was spiritually tuned to his maker, almost as though he knew his time here would be short. His faith was a priority, and that was clear to all who encountered him. He spent long hours in prayer and meditation. He was also a spiritual mentor to many in his church community, including his godsons, goddaughters, and a couple for whom he and Suzi were marriage sponsors. Adrian’s house was a home to many. Mentees were housed under his roof and nurtured.

In 2010, he joined the Catholic Institute of West Africa in Port Harcourt. In 2017, he became the executive secretary of the church building committee and was instrumental in the rehabilitation of the chaplaincy sanctuary, a state-of-the-art edifice. 

In 2022, he was nominated by his parish priest to join the knighthood. He was accepted and became a member of the Knights  of St Mulumba. 

Adrian’s life can be distilled into five pillars: faith, family, fitness, fortitude, and fun. He will be remembered for his pure heart, generosity, integrity, intellectual brilliance, and the love for God and people. 

He will be fondly remembered for his fitness updates, which coaxed many people to get off their couches. He will also be remembered for his constant encouragement to his family, friends and colleagues.

Adrian’s life was an open book that will continue instructing and inspiring future generations to come.