Draft:Abraham Ayebakepreye Amba Ambaiowei l

Abraham Ayebakepreye Amba Ambaiowei MFR JP (28 February 1940 – 6 March 2023 ) was a foremost nationalist and minorities rights/Niger Delta rights advocate. He was also an established medical practitioner and an accomplished public servant, serving in various capacities at both the State and Federal Government levels. He was a former Commissioner for Education and later Labour, Employment and Productivity in the Old Rivers State in the administration of His Excellency, Chief Melford Obiene Okilo. He also served as Chairman of the National Board for Technical Education under His Excellency, President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR.

As a minority rights advocate and nation builder, he was the prime mover and frontliner on the demand for the creation of Bayelsa State and played a major pioneering role in leading the movement for the creation of Bayelsa State for the Ijaws in the Central Niger Delta region of Nigeria. He was Chairman of Bayelsa Forum from 1992 to 1997 and the Bayelsa State Creation Movement from 1993 to October 1, 1996, when the State was created. Thereafter, he became the founding Chairman of the Bayelsa State Founding Fathers Forum.

Early life and education
Abraham Ayebakepreye Amba Ambaiowei was born on the 28th of February 1940 in Amassoma of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria to Chief Jacob Ambaiowei Yiworibie of Amassoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and Mrs. Priscilia Wuru (nee Oghene) from Enhwe in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.

He attended St. Stephen’s Primary School, Amassoma in 1950, completed his primary education in 1956 and gained admission into the prestigious Okrika Grammar School (OGS) in Rivers State in 1957. In his final year at OGS, he was the Senior Prefect of Aggrey house which was testament to his brewing leadership skills. He left OGS in 1961 after obtaining his West African School Certificate (WASSCE/GCE).

Amba Ambaiowei moved to Lagos in 1963 and secured a job as an accounts clerk with Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN). In 1964, he enrolled into a part-time evening programme at the Federal School of Science (FSS) which gave him the opportunity to do an advanced level programme and was successful in his bid for a federal scholarship. He got his A’ Levels from the Federal School of Science in January 1966 and gained admission into the University of Lagos, to study Medicine in 1966. Amba Ambaiowei eventually graduated in 1971 with an MBBS degree and became the first medical doctor from the entire Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State.

Medical career
Dr. Amba Ambaiowei's clinical skills were undisputed. He was able to do so many deliveries in a day and carried out sessions that surprised his Head of Department. This impressed his colleagues in such a manner that when Professor Bello Osagie was appointed Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Benin, he took along with him Dr. Amba Ambaiowei to work as a Senior House Officer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

While in UBTH, Dr. Amba Ambaiowei rose to become a Registrar before leaving for the United Kingdom in 1974. He attended the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London between 1974 to 1978. While in the UK, Dr. Amba Ambaiowei worked in several hospitals as an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist. He worked as a Senior House Officer in Edgware General Hospital in North West London from 1974 to 1975 and at Hammersmith Hospital in West London between 1975 to 1976. Between 1976 to 1978, he worked as a Registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, The Middlesex Hospital London and at St. Mary’s Hospital Paddington in West London in 1979. He was the Chairman of the Amassoma Community Union UK branch from 1977 to 1979 and the Founder and General Secretary of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, UK & Ireland Branch between 1978 – 1979.

Commissioner for Education/Labour and Productivity, Rivers State
In 1979, Chief Melford Obiene Okilo; the first civilian Governor of the Old Rivers State invited Dr. Amba Ambaiowei back home from the UK and appointed him Honourable Commissioner for Education in the first civilian administration. Dr Amba Ambaiowei established numerous secondary schools in rural areas hitherto lacking and oversaw the framework for the conversion of the Rivers State College of Science and Technology Port-Harcourt into a premier University of Science and Technology. He later also served as Honourable Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity between 1980 to 1981 where he provided skills acquisition for youths in craft and vocational centres for their self-actualization. Amba Ambaiowei also served as president, Rivers State Co-operative Financing Agency between 1988 – 1997.

Abraham Ayebakepreye Amba Ambaiowei balanced his medical practice with his political pursuits and as proprietor and medical director of Amba Hospital; opened in 1982 with two branches in Port Harcourt, he provided several free health care services to the people. As such, his hospital was referred to as "the Ijaw people's hospital". He also established an annex of his hospital in Amassoma to give his people the much needed medical services and by so doing, was the first to establish a private clinic in his community.

Bayelsa State Creation Movement
(Dr. Amba Ambaiowei recounts memories of the glorious day Bayelsa State was created.) In 1993, the demand for the creation of an ABAYELSA state (constituted by present day Bayelsa State and Ahoada) from the Old Rivers State was not realized under the military president General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, GCFR. However, an undeterred, resolute, visionary and indefatigable Dr Amba Ambaiowei mobilized his colleagues, compatriots, protagonists and even young vibrant graduates as well as university students under the aegis of Bayelsa Forum/Bayelsa State Creation Movement in 1994 to pursue the demand for the creation of BAYELSA STATE from the then BALGA – YELGA – SALGA in the Old Rivers State (from which the name BAYELSA was coined) under the General Sani Abacha military regime.

Having been seriously involved in the failed Abayelsa state creation movement as chairman of the Finance Committee and conscious of the long neglect of the Ijaw people in Niger Delta Nigeria, Dr Amba Ambaiowei MFR JP had an ardent desire for self actualization of the Ijaws burning in him and believed this could only be achieved by a peaceful and lawful demand for the creation of an Ijaw state.

So convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Bayelsa State in population, size, manpower and natural resources stood eligible for a state status, Dr Amba Ambaiowei as Chairman of the Bayelsa Forum convened a meeting of selected members of the Forum at Senator Amatari Zuofa's Port-Harcourt residence on the 22nd of April 1993 to propose a demand for the creation of a state from the existing local government areas of Brass, Ogbia, Yenagoa, Southern Ijaw, Sagbama and Ekeremor. The personalities in attendance of the first inaugural meeting were H.E. Chief Senator (Dr.) Melford Obiene Okilo, Senator Amatari Zuofa, Chief N.A. Frank Opigo, Prof. T.T. Isoun, HRH N.S. Orianzi, Prince M.O. Ere, Chief J.T.T. Alamene-Bobai, Apostle S.D. Asaikpuka, Mr. W.J. Keme, Mr. Rawlings Eben-Spiff, Mr. Morris Ekiye and himself, Dr. Amba Ambaiowei. After positive extensive and exhaustive deliberations, a six-man Committee was set up to draft modalities and terms of reference for the state creation demand. Their terms of reference were to propose a name for the state, propose a suitable state capital and propose a number of local government areas for the new state.

On the 5th of May 1993, the committee having completed its assignment presented a draft memorandum of the demand for state creation to the general Bayelsa Forum. When the Constitutional Conference and Committee on State/Local Government Creation chaired by Dr. Peter Odili was established by Gen. Sani Abacha, the final memorandum for state creation was submitted on the 29th of August 1994 by a three-man delegation led by Dr Amba Ambaiowei, Mr. Rawlings Eben-Spiff and Mr. Martins Agbede.

Copies were also submitted to Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte who chaired the Constitutional Conference at that time after useful discussions. Copies of the memorandum for the creation of Bayelsa State were also sent to the then Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha through the then minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni. After the submission of the memorandum, the movement continued to map out strategies for effective lobbying for the creation of the state despite low morale. They held meetings every Monday from 1993 to 1996 sometimes with only five people in attendance.

In 1995, a committee on State Creation and Boundary Adjustment headed by Chief Arthur Mbanefo was set up by the Abacha administration to ascertain genuine demands and send a final report to the Federal government. In February 1996, before the visit of the Mbanefo Committee on Creation of States and Boundary Adjustments to Port-Harcourt, the Bayelsa State Creation Movement faced a major crisis and break point. A group felt the state capital should be changed from Amassoma, Wilberforce Island which was proposed in the original memorandum to Yenagoa the old provincial head quaters for varying reasons. An amended memorandum with Yenagoa as capital was created and submitted to the state creation committee by a separate group even after the original memorandum with Amassoma as state capital had been submitted by Dr. Amba Ambaiowei and Sir G. Lambert Eradiri. . This spelt danger for the state creation hopes as there was no unity in purpose. However, an emergency meeting was summoned for all parties and after exhaustive deliberations, good reasoning and better judgement, it was resolved that a single memorandum be officially presented to the visiting Mbanefo Committee on State Creation and Boundary Adjustment to avoid any crisis that would deter the cardinal objective of Bayelsa State Creation.

On Sunday the 26th of February 1996 at the Alfred Diette Spiff Civic Centre, Arthur Mbanefo's committee had an engagement with the Bayelsa Forum ably represented by a four-man delegation comprising Dr. Amba Ambaiowei as Chairman, Chief Simon M.O. Ambakederemo, Sir G. Lambert Eradiri and Prince M.O. Ere and they collectively presented the Bayelsa State Memorandum with Yenagoa as its capital, drawing an ovation from the mammoth crowd present.

The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality (MOSIEND), formed by vibrant, dynamic and courageous Izon youths across the nation under the leadership of their President: Mr. T.K. Ogoriba, a courageous Ijaw activist and his eminent executive council provided an invaluable and unparalleled support for the Bayelsa State demand. Often times, MOSIEND provided the field workers and young men on ground for the Bayelsa State Creation Movement. The Ijaw National Congress (INC) under the leadership of Chief Joshua Fumudoh, the secretary High Chief F.J. Williams and their executive council also played a vital role in the success story.

At 7:00am on October 1st 1996, Gen. Sani Abacha, the then Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his broadcast to the nation to mark the 36th independence anniversary announced the creation of six new states with Bayelsa State being the very first mentioned. Hence, through such unyielding efforts of men and especially by the grace of God, on 1st October 1996, BAYELSA STATE (The Glory of All Lands) was created.

Chairman National Board for Technical Education
Dr. Amba Ambaiowei was appointed by President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR to serve as Chairman National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) in 2001 and served till 2004. Under that auspices, he effected an expansion proposal for the establishment of six additional Federal Polytechnics across the nation viz one in Abuja, Jigawa, Taraba, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Katsina states. He notably converted Government Technical School Ekowe in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State to a Federal Polytechnic.

Member National Political Reforms Conference
In 2005, Dr. Amba Ambaiowei was a member representing Bayelsa State at the National Political Reforms Conference instituted by President Olusegun Obasanjo and chaired by Honourable Justice Niki Tobi.

Affiliations
Dr. Amba Ambaiowei was a member of the Nigerian Medical Association, The Nigerian Association of General Medicine and Dental Practitioners and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management. He also served as the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Niger Delta health Foundation, for Comprehensive Rural Health Services in the Niger Delta.

Awards
He was a recipient of many awards at community, state and national levels notably the Movement for the survival of the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality (MOSIEND) Merit Award in 1997, the Bayelsa State Government Merit Award in 1999, 2001 and 2006 for the leadership roles he played towards the advancement and development of the state. He was honoured with the South – South Peoples Distinguished Service Award by the South – South Peoples Assembly in 2005.

In 2008, as recognition of his meritorious service to Ijaw nation building, Sir Chief Dr Abraham Ayebakepreye Amba Ambaiowei was bestowed Nigeria National Honour of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. He received the Patriot of Ijaw Nation Merit Award in 2011. In 2014, he received the Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation (Glory FM’s) Hero’s Award as “The Initiator of the Bayelsa Dream” as part of festivities to mark their 15th anniversary celebration. He was also the recipient of the Distinguished Old Boy Award presented by the Okrika Grammar School Old Boys Association in recognition of his visible leadership in society and as a successful politician in 2019.

On the 3rd of June 2019, Sir Dr. Amba Ambaiowei MFR JP was conferred with the chieftaincy title: the "Ebe Dou-Pamowei of Bayelsa" by His Royal Highness, Sir Major Graham Naingba (Rtd) JP, Amananaowei of Amassoma as at then in recognition of his contributions to the welfare and development of Amassoma, his native town and mainly for the sterling role he played in the creation of Bayelsa State.

Memorial Lectures
In memory of Abraham Ayebakepreye Amba Ambaiowei's immense contribution to the Ijaw nation, a public memorial lecture was held at the Niger Delta University auditorium tagged "State Creation and Ijaw Identity Management in Nigeria: The Role of Sir Chief Dr Amba Ambaiowei MFR JP " by Prof. Stephen Temegha Olali, Chief Historian and Archivist, Bayelsa State on the 17th of May 2023.

On the 17th of May 2024, a second memorial lecture tagged "Revisiting the Fears of the Minorities in Nigeria: 67 Years after the Willinks Comission Report " was delivered by Lt. Gen. Ipoola Alani Akinrinade to mark the first year of his passing. As part of the events, renowned Ijaw minority rights activist Joseph William Opigo wrote and recited a poem titled The Cross Bearers, dedicated to the Bayelsa State Founding Fathers. The Memorial lecture was chaired by Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd.), a former deputy Governor of Bayelsa State and planned by an organising committee constituted by the Bayelsa State Founding Fathers Forum. The committee was led by Prof. Franklin Erepamo Osaisai, a one-time Commissioner for Works and Transport in Bayelsa State and former Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission.

Personal Life
Following a fledging early medical career, Sir Dr. Amba Ambaiowei wedded Lady Lilian Izonfadei (nee Owei) in 1972. Their marriage was blessed with nine children though he had a total of twelve children. Lady Lilian Ambaiowei passed on to glory on the 31st of May 2020.

A devout Anglican, Sir Chief Dr. Abraham Ayebakepreye Amba Ambaiowei was baptized and confirmed at St. Stephens Anglican Church Amassoma. He was nominated by Bishop Samuel Elenwo to the Niger Delta Diocese Synod and also spearheaded and pioneered the creation of the Amassoma Arcdeaconery where he became a pillar of support. He was a board member, Niger Delta Anglican Diocese from 1987 to 1999. Sir Chief Dr. Abraham Ayebakepreye Amba Ambaiowei was invested as a Knight of St. Christopher (KSC) at St Peter’s Church Deanery Yenagoa by the Rt. Reverend Emmanuel Okwuchi Oko-Jaja; the then Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta West on Saturday 19th of March 2011. He also served as Chairman of the Building Committee at St. Stephens Anglican Church Amassoma in a bid to build a befitting Anglican house of worship for God in Amassoma.

He was a grand patron of the Boys Brigade of Nigeria (Ogboin Company), served as a member of the Bayelsa State Advisory Committee and was Chairman of the Southern Ijaw Elders Forum. He was the pioneer Chairman of the Bayelsa State Founding Fathers Forum and remained their Grand Ex Officio at the end of his tenure. From inception, Sir Chief Dr Amba Ambaiowei was an active member of the Ijaw National Congress and the Bayelsa State Elders Consultative forum.

Death
While on a routine medical check up in a private hospital in London, he was diagnosed with late stage gall bladder cancer (which was metastatic) in November 2022 and returned back to Port-Harcourt, Nigeria in January 2023. Amba Ambaiowei died in a private hospital in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State at the age of 83 on the 6th of March 2023. Amba Ambaiowei's son, author Tonyi Amba-Ambaiowei, wrote a poetic dedication to his father titled: Always Remember to Never Forget which was published in his funeral programme.