…to honour Bayelsa founding father, examine Nigeria’s political challenges
The Niger Delta University (NDU), Amassoma, Bayelsa State, will on Tuesday, November 24, 2026, host the annual Dr Abraham Ayebakepreye Amba Ambaiowei Memorial Public Lecture in honour of one of the prominent advocates of the creation of Bayelsa State.
The lecture, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. at the university’s Main Auditorium, is being organised in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Founding Fathers’ Forum to preserve the ideals and contributions of the late medical doctor, politician and community leader.
The guest lecturer, Chief Festus Ameh Ogwuche, PhD, will speak on the theme, “Intrigues of a Dysfunctional State: Ethnicity, Religion and Power in Nigeria.”
The lecture is expected to provide an opportunity for critical examination of Nigeria’s political challenges, particularly issues of ethnic identity, religious influence, minority rights, political inclusion and equitable participation in national development.
Dr Abraham Ayebakepreye Amba Ambaiowei was one of the prominent figures associated with the struggle for the creation of Bayelsa State, which was eventually announced by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, on October 1, 1996.
Born in 1940 in Amassoma, present-day Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Ambaiowei distinguished himself academically and professionally, becoming the first medical doctor from the area after graduating from the University of Lagos in 1971.
He specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology following further training at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and in London. He later established Amba Hospital in Port Harcourt, with an annex in Amassoma, to extend healthcare services to his people.
His public service career included appointments as Commissioner for Education and Commissioner for Labour and Productivity in the old Rivers State during the administration of Governor Melford Okilo.
Beyond his professional and political engagements, Ambaiowei played an active role in the agitation for the creation of Bayelsa State, participating in consultations, preparing memoranda, lobbying successive governments and mobilising support through platforms such as the Bayelsa Forum and Bayelsa State Creation Movement.
The agitation was driven by the quest for political recognition, adequate representation and greater opportunities for the development of the Ijaw people.
Following the creation of Bayelsa State in 1996, Ambaiowei maintained that statehood should translate into improved education, accessible healthcare, employment opportunities, infrastructure and better living conditions for the people.
He was also recognised for his humanitarian contributions, including supporting students, assisting people with medical bills and promoting community development.
Ambaiowei, who married Lady Lilian Izonfadei Owei in 1972 and raised 12 children, was a committed Anglican and chaired the building committee of St Stephen’s Church, Amassoma. He was invested as a Knight of St Christopher in 2011 and received the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).
He died in Port Harcourt on March 6, 2023, aged 83, following a battle with metastatic gallbladder cancer diagnosed in London in November 2022.
The annual memorial lecture was subsequently instituted by the Niger Delta University in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Founding Fathers’ Forum to sustain his ideals and preserve his contributions to the political and social development of Bayelsa State.
The 2026 lecture comes as Bayelsa marks 30 years of statehood, providing an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices and aspirations that informed the agitation for the state’s creation.
It is also expected to challenge the younger generation to appreciate the struggles of the state’s founding advocates and work towards fulfilling the vision of a politically inclusive, economically viable and socially developed Bayelsa.
Ambaiowei’s legacy, observers say, goes beyond his contribution to the creation of the state, encompassing his achievements in medicine, public administration, education, community development and humanitarian service.
