Mofia Tonjo Akobo

Chief Mofia Tonjo Akobo was the first Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources. He was an environmental and resource control activist.[1] He died on 13 March 2020 after a brief illness.

Mofia Tonjo Akobo
Minister of Petroleum Resources
In office
July 1975 – March 1976
Succeeded byGeneral Muhammadu Buhari
Personal details
BornAbonnema, Nigeria
Died(2020-03-12)12 March 2020
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
OccupationMedical doctor, politician, activist

Early life and education

He was born in Abonnema into the family of Mary John Fyneface of Abonnema and Nathaniel Tonjo Akobo of Tombia. His primary education includes studying at the Bishop Crowther Memorial School Abonnema, Central school Eha-Amufu and Tombia School, Tombia. His secondary education was at the Government College Umuahia from 1949–1955 where he became the School Captain (1954/1955). His Tertiary Education was at the University College Ibadan from 1956–1960. He also attended the University College hospital from 1960–1963, and carried out a Medical Internship at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital from 1963–1964.

In 1955, he was awarded the Elder Demster Lines of Unilever Brothers Group scholarship to the United Kingdom for a 3 weeks education tour across London, Liverpool, Brighton and North Wales.

Family

Chief M.T Akobo was married to Mrs Data Ine Akobo, nee Amachree, a retired deputy Librarian of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and has children and grandchildren.

Career

He worked at the Royal Orthopedic Hospital Igbobi Yaba, the General Hospital Marina, Lagos, the Federal Airport Medical Unit Kano, the Five Battalions MRS Kano from 1964–1966, the General Hospital Yenegoa, Eastern Nigeria from 1966–1968, the General Hospital Aba from April 1968- August 1968 and the 3rd Nigerian Army Medical Corps from September 1968- January 1970.

Politics

In August 1969, he became the Chairman, Rivers State Sports Council and Member Nigeria National Sports Commission, from April 1972 – August 1973. He was Commissioner for Works and later Commissioner for Finance in the Rivers State Executive Council between 1973 and 1974. In 1967–1969, he was part of the Third army commanded by Benjamin Adekunle.

In 1975, he was appointed into the Federal Cabinet as the first minister in charge of the newly created Petroleum and Energy Ministry. In December 1975, as OPEC minister in Vienna, Akobo was part of the ministers held during the Carlos terrorist hijack. He served on General Murtala Mohammed's executive council and was retained by the new head of state General Olusegun Obasanjo but reassigned to the portfolio of economic planning and development until 1977.[2] [3]

He concluded signing the contract of the Warri refinery and greatly advanced the development of the Kaduna refinery. He was involved in the establishment of the ECOWAS at the ministerial level and the establishment of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority.[4]

In 1978, he returned to Port Harcourt to head the group of Medical practice of TEME Clinic Association in Port-Harcourt established by him alongside co-directors, George Organ and Peterside.

With a keen interest in the development of the Niger Delta region, Akobo got involved in the establishment of the IZON National Congress where he was a founding member (1991/92). He was also a founding member of the Movement for National Reformation under the chairmanship of Chief Anthony Enahoro CFR, and the Southern Minorities Movement headed by General David Ejoor. Akobo eventually became Chairman of the Southern Minorities Movement and coordinated the formation of the Union of Niger Delta which was a coalition of movement of Niger Delta region like the Southern Minorities Movement, the Commonwealth of the Niger Delta Coalition, MOSOP and several other ethnic minority movements in the region.[5]

Amongst other involvements as an activist include:

  • Founder and elder council member of the Ijaw National Council [6]
  • Founding member of the Southern Minority Movement[7]
  • Executive member of the Movement for National Reformation headed by Chief Anthony Enahoro and supported by Alfred Rewane
  • Founding member of the Rivers State study group
  • Founding member of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC)
  • Executive member of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG) headed by Beko Ransome-Kuti
  • Founding member of NADECO (National Democratic Coalition)
  • Executive delegate member of G34, fractions of which transformed themselves to the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party)

Further reading
  1. NIGER DELTA BRIEFS: A Historical Perspective on the Niger Delta (9781797902029): Chief (Dr.) Mofia T. Akobo
  2. Vanguard on Nigeria: Akobo, Orubebe, others make case on resource Control by Uwakwe Abugu. October 21, 2000
  3. Conference of nationalities, 'the century- Okota resolutions: communique of the conference' organised by the campaign for democracy Lagos, Nigeria. Held December 17–19, 1998
  4. Phil Tam Al-Alalibo 'where is the Kalabari Governor of Rivers State?' May 11, 2008
  5. Presidor Ghomarai ' Ijaw unity imperative now'
  6. Peter Chalk (2012) 'Encyclopedia of Terrorism' pg 554 Carlos plan hijack of 11 ministers in the 1970s
  7. Augustine A. Ikein, Diepreye S. P. Alamieyeseigha, Steve S. Azaik (2008) 'Oil, Democracy, and the Promise of True Federalism in Nigeria' page 377
  8. David Yallop ‘To the ends of the earth, The Hunt for the Jackal’ published in the UK 2014
  9. Olusegun Obasanjo (1981) ‘My Command: An Account of the Nigerian Civil War, 1967-1970

References
  1. "Mixed reactions trail speculations on Buhari's oil ministry portfolio". The Guardian (Nigeria). 10 June 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  2. "List of 11 Petroleum Ministers Among the Hostages". December 22, 1975 – via NYTimes.com.
  3. "New York Times, (1975), "OPEC, Despite Pressure, Sticks Together", https://www.nytimes.com/1975/09/29/archives/opec-despite-pressure-sticks-together-iranian-hawks-and-saudi.html?_r=0
  4. "David-West, Tam, (April 2010). "GEN BUHARI VOWED AFTER HE APPOINTED ME OIL MINISTER WITHOUT HAVING MET ME BEFORE" NBF News http://www.nigerianbestforum.com/blog/gen-buhari-vowed-after-he-appointed-me-oil-minister-without-having-met-me-before/
  5. "ANSD(DECEMBER 17 - 19, 1998). "CONFERENCE OF NATIONALITIES ORGANISED BY THE CAMPAIGN FOR DEMOCRACY, LAGOS, NIGERIA, http://www.waado.org/nigerian_scholars/archive/docum/confnation.html
  6. "Presidor Ghomorai, (2002). "Ijaw unity imperative now", http://www.unitedijaw.com/ijawnews.htm
  7. "NIGERIA: Focus on human rights and Democracy [2000111]". www.africa.upenn.edu.
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