Ebie opens door as NDDC lift operator climbs to Nigerian bar

For over a decade, Jim Beabubari Marshall was a familiar face inside the lifts of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) headquarters, a man many knew only as the lift operator. However, behind the uniform lay a profound ambition: to become a lawyer and champion justice. That dream culminated on Tuesday when NDDC Chairman Mr. Chiedu Ebie attended Marshall's Call to Bar ceremony in Abuja, a significant gesture as Ebie was Marshall's sole guest.

Marshall, hailing from Bane community in Rivers State, harbored a lifelong desire to study law, inspired by a passion to advocate for his people and defend the oppressed. His path, however, was fraught with hardship, sacrifice, and immense discipline. While employed as a contract lift operator at the NDDC, he enrolled in the full-time law program at Rivers State University in Port Harcourt. His days were a punishing cycle: arriving at the office by 6:30 or 7:00 a.m. to ensure the lifts were operational, then rushing to lectures if his schedule permitted. He would return to the office immediately, often staying until 10:00 p.m. to manage the lifts and perform minor technical repairs before heading home to study.

His social life became a casualty of this relentless routine, which he described as a triangle of house, work, and school. "It is either I make it or I make it," he recalled, reflecting on the years of pressure. Through sheer self-discipline and faith, Marshall earned his Bachelor of Laws degree. Yet, financial constraints presented another hurdle, jeopardizing his progression to the Nigerian Law School. The turning point arrived in 2024, marking the realization of his long-held aspirations.

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It is either I make it or I make it.