Benjamin Tyndale Opara

A longtime resident of Lowell’s Pawtucketville neighborhood with his wife Valerie and three adult children.

He has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Nigeria and a master’s degree in Structural Engineering from UMass Lowell. 

In 1999, Ben founded the Nigerian Association of Merrimack Valley (N.A.M.V.), a 501.c.3 organization, an active and impactful association of Nigerians in the region known for her youth empowerment programs and initiatives.

At different times, he was member and chair of the Immigration Commission of Lowell. He is currently serving on the School Building Committee charged with the responsibility of overseeing the new multimillion-dollar High School project.

He is also the current chairman of the Board of Trustees of Greater Commonwealth Virtual Schools (G.C.V.S.), one of two virtual schools mandated by the legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Ben is a recipient of 2025 Black Excellence on the Hill Award at the Massachusetts State House. 

He is the president and CEO of Duziem Laboratories, Inc. (Makers of BumpPro) in Lowell, a company he founded in 1992.

Ben is the current president of the African Cultural Association dba African Festival Foundation.