"The Legacy Lives On: Celebrating the Life and Achievements of Chief. Dr. Ekuogbe Rowland Akpodiete" ~ Truth Reporters

 

By Olotu Akpodiete, PhD

In a life of achievement, Chief Ekuogbe Akpodiete popularly called the Duke by his contemporaries in the UK was an assessment clerk,  post office clerk,  a court interpreter, an educationist, a business man, a political party chieftain,  a Barrister and Solicitor,  a Magistrate, the Otota (the Prime Minister) of Ughelli  kingdom which is the highest traditional chieftaincy office that underpin the royal office of the Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom.

 He was a trail blazer,  a strict disciplinarian, a lover of people, and a philantropist. He saw to it that people lived in peace and happiness.  

Born on the 4th of April, 1924, to parents cut from an industrious mould, Chief Ekuogbe Rowland Gregory Akpodiete took zealously  to education that neither his mother Ughweriaka who was a trader, nor his father Akpodiete who was a farmer had. 

He attended the Native Authority Primary School, Ughelli,  and Enitona High School, Port Harcourt, for his secondary school education.

He thereafter had a brief teaching career in primary schools in Ofuoma near Ughelli, he worked as a process clerk in the then Sapele Township Department between 1950 and 1953, serving at the same time as an interpreter in the local courts.

He proceeded to the United Kingdom to seek the proverbial Golden Fleece where he worked and paid his way through, studying Law. He was admitted into the Honourable society of Gray’s Inn, England, in 1965, and shortly after, he returned home to Nigeria and attended the Nigerian Law School. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1966. He immediately started practice in Lagos. However, his practice in Lagos was regrettably abridged by the Nigerian Civil War, which drove him to his hometown Ughelli in 1967, where he continued to practise among his kith and kin as the first Legal Practitioner. 

Chief Ekuogbe Akpodiete established himself in Ughelli. After the civil war, he served in the now defunct Mid-western State Judiciary from 1972 to 1975 as a Magistrate.

He was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Urhukperovie of Ughelli kingdom (the light of the King) by the then reigning Ovie of Ughelli, His Royal Highness Oharisi II of blessed memory in 1977.

In the quest for more knowledge, he went back to England for his Master’s degree in law (LL.M) and later a Ph.D. at the University of Warwick.

 He was awarded an honourary doctorate degree (Ph.D) by Tenesse Christian University from the United States of America in 1991.

He became the Otota (the Prime Minister) of Ughelli Kingdom in 1986, an office he occupied until his demise on 9th April 1995.

Chief Ekuogbe Akpodiete was also politically involved. In the heady days of the Awolowo-led Unity Party of Nigeria, he was the party’s legal adviser in Ughelli and was on hand to assist during Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s campaign hosting in Ughelli and its environs.

In view of his love for people and entertainment,  he established a popular cinema house, one of the first in Ughelli, known as REGA cinema, coined from his names, alongside an entertainment place called Unutakunu (people talk to people).

Chief Ekuogbe Akpodiete was blessed with wives and many children,  grandchildren, and great grand children.

Mr. Olotu Akpodiete, PhD

Executive Director 

Olotu & Ekuogbe Rowland Akpodiete foundation