Okpara

Okpara is a surname of Igbo origin, commonly found among the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria and in communities abroad through migration and diaspora settlement. As a family name, it is carried across generations and can appear in various professional and public contexts.

One of the most prominent individuals with the name is Michael Iheonukara Okpara (1910–1979), a Nigerian politician who served as the Premier of the Eastern Region from 1959 to 1966, a key leadership position during the early post-colonial era. His tenure is frequently cited in discussions of regional governance and Igbo political history during that period.

Beyond Michael Okpara, individuals bearing the surname have been active in fields such as academia, business, and athletics, reflecting the broader spread of the Igbo diaspora. The name is therefore encountered in both Nigeria and among Nigerian communities worldwide.

Etymologically, the exact meaning of Okpara within the Igbo language is not uniformly documented in available sources. Like many Igbo surnames, it is transmitted patrilineally and may carry familial or ancestral significance for those who bear it.