King Ambrose Ezeolisa Alagoa: A Trans-Generational Colossus

History beckons in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, come Saturday, December 4, 2021, as the Nembe Se Lawyers Forum, the Umbrella body of all lawyers of Nembe-Ibe extraction in Nigeria and in the Diaspora would be rolling out the drums amidst pomp and fanfare, to bestow posthumous honour on the Late Amanyanabo of Nembe, His Lordship, Justice Ambrose Ezolisa Alagoa, Mingi the eleventh.
The grandiose event, billed to hold at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet hall is the first Inaugural Lecture in honour of the monarch under the Chairmanship of Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ebiowei Tobi.
It is expected to attract the crème de la mare of society as well as political titans and legal heavy weights and juggernauts drawn from far and near including of course, Chief Kanu Godwin Agabi, SAN, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice as Guest lecturer while His Royal Majesty, King Edmund Daukoru, Amanyanabo of Nembe will grace the occasion as the Royal Father of the Day.
This is hardly surprising as His Royal Majesty, King Ambrose Alagoa was a man of many firsts and occupies a strategic place in the juridical annals of Bayelsa State being the first lawyer of Nembe Se descent and first indigenous Chief Judge in the Old Rivers State thus making him the forens et origo, that is the source and origin of the Nembe Se Lawyers Forum.
Unarguably, the deceased monarch as an unapologetic, pathological crusader for natural justice, equity and good conscience and was known for his unabashed belief in the rule of law as the pillar of democracy.
Instructively, this coincides with the theme of the Inaugural Lecture which is woven around the role of the judiciary in a democratic dispensation, the rule of law undeniably being the nexus and plexus of a true democracy which guarantees the total and unfettered independence and impartiality of the judiciary.
To be sure, the late monarch epitomises the bastion and beacon of hope for the Nigeian Bar and Bench to uphold the cannon of natural justice to wit, nemo judex in causa sua and audi alteram partem on which hang all the law and jurisprudence the world over.
King Ambrose Alagoa, jurist, philanthropist and social crusader was born into the royal family of His Royal Majesty, Francis Ossomade Joseph Alagoa, Mingi X, Amanyanabo of Nembe by one of his wives, Madam Nwaokiri Rose Onyeka.on August 24, 1914
Ambrose Alagoa was the second son of his father. His father, Francis Ossomade Joseph Allagoa was the son of a rich influential merchant, Queen – Okwei of Osomari Kingdom in present-day Delta state) and merchant father, Chief Joseph Alagoa, grandson of KingBoy Amain, Mingi V, then Amanyanabo of Nembe Kingdom.
He was raised under the highly puritanical and much disciplined watch of his parents who were both devout Catholics, adhering to the sanctimonious doctrines of the Christian faith. Additionally, his father was a foremost nationalist and held the position of Chairman of the RCPC.
All these and more largely helped to shape and mould the world view of the young Ambrose in his growing up years. His propensity and penchant to right the many wrongs of society through lawful means and to salvage the oppressed, weak and vulnerable was the outward expression of a divine nudge to enroll in the most noble profession of all times, the legal profession later in life
Early Life and Education:
As a Prince, he was privileged to receive top notch, top rate, and cutting edge formal and informal education from his parents. He started his primary education in 1927 at the Government School, Owerri but later moved to St Mary’s School, Port Harcourt that same year to complete his primary education in 1932. Thereafter, he returned to Onitsha where he attended the prestigious Christ the King College, Onitsha from 1932 to 1936 as a pioneer student of the college.
It is on record that he was the youngest graduate to have obtained the senior Cambridge certificate at the enviable age of 22 in 1936 and was noted for exceptional academic performance.
Consequently, a few years later, in a bid to actualise his dream of joining the league of lawyers, he proceeded to the famous Cambridge University, London in 1946 to study Law and by April 1949, he bagged the prestigious LLB (Hons) Degree, qualifying as a lawyer with the Council of Legal Studies, London and was subsequently called to the English Bar on January 26, 1950 and admitted as a member of the Lincoln Inn, London, thus, setting the stage for his private legal practice which started immediately in the city of Port Harcourt between 1950 and 1962.
Political Career
Leveraging on his legal expertise and prowess, Justice Ambrose Alagoa served as Deputy Mayor of Port Harcourt Municipal Council between 1951 and 1959, and thereafter elected as the 2nd substantive Mayor of Port Harcourt Municipal Council. He took over from Mayor Richard Okwosha Nzimiro in 1959 and served in this capacity for three years. By and large, he was instrumental in transforming the City of Port Harcourt into the much hyped name Garden City and it is on record that he was the first Mayor of Port Harcourt to have successfully brought the Prime Minister of Nigeria Sir Tafawa Balewa and the then Premier of the Eastern Region, Chief Michael Okpara on a visit to the Garden City.
Legal Career and Impact on the Bar and Bench
He successfully sat for and made distinctions in his senior Cambridge Certificate exam after his education at Christ the King College. This enabled him to secure gainful employment in the Federal Civil Service and worked as a clerk in the judicial arm of government.
As a civil servant, he was posted to Lagos, Enugu and Port Harcourt before proceeding for further studies in London, qualifying as an Attorney at Law.
Upon his return, King Ambrose Alagoa had a successful career as a member of the Bar, winning several of his cases and laurels, and this won him the respect and admiration of many lawyers.
As a lawyer, he had an excellent legal practice in Port Harcourt with his law firm, Allagoa & Allagoa Legal Practitioners, (Our Lady of Fatima Chambers). He had a brilliant and successful career, representing clients such as J. T. Chanrai.
In 1962, the Eastern Regional Government impressed with his diligence and dignified service at the Bar, elevated him to the Bench as a High Court Judge. He presided in various judicial divisions as Abakaliki, Nsukka, Ikot Ekpene, Umuahia, and Port Harcourt .
However, sequel to the creation of Rivers State by the then administration of General Yakubu Gowon, His Highness was transferred to the newly created state where he was a judge from 1970 to 1975.
In 1976, he made history following his appointment as the first indigenous Chief Judge of Old Rivers State. He retired three years later on the 24 September, 1979, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 65 years.
His Lordship (late) H.R.M. Justice Ambrose Ezeolisa Alagoa is mostly remembered for his doggedness in standing on the side of truth and justice in the celebrated case of famous Amakiri v. Iwowari where, as the presiding judge, he exhibited rare courage in the award of damages in favour of the injured journalist, Amakiri even amidst threats to his life and family. This earned him both local and international accolades and encomiums. Consequently, the City of Oklahoma, USA, awarded him “Life Mayor, Oklahoma City, USA”
Religion
His Lordship late King Ambrose Alagoa was a deeply religious and devoted Christian of the Roman Catholic stock. He believed very strongly in service to God and humanity and, therefore, devoted the larger part of his litigation and adjudicating years advocating for the poor, hopeless, weak and vulnerable. This attribute was not uncommon in the family and found expression in his maternal great grandfather (King Atamanya- Nzedegwu of Ossomari) who invited Roman Catholic priests into his Ossomari Kingdom during his reign. He was a highly distinguished and respected Knight.
It would be recalled that during the 1959 elections, he checked the bid by Protestants to marginalise the Catholics in the defunct Eastern Nigeria. This show of derring-do and bravado culminated in the appointment of six Catholics as ministers in the Michael Okpara led cabinet.
He is fondly remembered for being the foremost founder of the Order of the Knight of St. Mulumba of Nigeria KSM in Rivers State in 1985, and subsequent inauguration on 26th September 1987 of the Port Harcourt Sub Council of the Order of the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) Port Harcourt.
He was the first Grand Knight of the Knight of the Order of Saint, Mulumba, Port Harcourt Sub Council.
Against this backdrop, an oration presented by the Order Of the Knights of Saint Mulumba, KSM, Port Harcourt in honour of His Majesty the King succinctly captures his religious predilections in these words:
“We recall the crucial role he played as a Catholic in post-war Rivers State. At the end of the Civil War, Catholics generally were haunted in Rivers State. In spite of this unwholesome phenomenon, he not only stood firm in the Catholic Church, but also participated and supported the persecuted clergy. He assisted the Catholic Church immensely in identifying and recovering some of her properties at the end of the war in Rivers State. His full participation during Corpus Christi procession, in spite of acute challenges of age, epitomised his commitment to the Catholic faith.”
Reign on the Throne
His Majesty the late King Ambrose Ezeolisa Allagoa was crowned King and Amanyanabo of Nembe on the 12th of April, 1980, succeeding his father. As Mingi XI, he reigned for 23 years and served with the fear of God.
He passed away peacefully on February 17, 2003 at the age of 89. He was survived by five sons and three daughters amongst a host of other notable siblings.
Following the creation of Bayelsa State in 1996, he worked assiduously to ensure the smooth take-off of the state as a whole and the judicial arm of government in particular.
He served as the Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council both in Rivers State and subsequently in Bayelsa State during which time he worked tirelessly to promote peace and stability in his domain..
In retrospect, there is no gainsaying that his peaceful disposition earned him respect from his subjects as well as other monarchs from within and outside the state such as Ogbia, Kalabari Kingdom, Abua, Benin Kingdom, to mention a few.
Interestingly, during his reign, the then Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa was said to have made a historic visit to Nembe.
Equally noteworthy is his role in the in mounting pressure on Shell Petroleum Development Company as well as the federal and state governments to collaborate to build the long proposed road to Nembe; an effort that paid off handsomely as Nembe is now accessible by road.
Recreation, Hobbies and Philanthropy
His Majesty was a lover of sports, and like the present Chairman of Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers and Amanyanabo of Twon Brass , King Papapriye Diete Spiff, His Majesty, Justice Ambrose Alagoa loved the game of golf with passion and he showed this by supporting the Golf Section of the Port Harcourt Club as far back as 1928.
He was also a member of Rotary International and known for travelling to various conferences in company of his wife.
It is gratifying to note that King Ambrose Alagoa was among the founders of Leonard Cheshire International Home in Port Harcourt; a welfare organization committed to providing succour for the less privileged and physically challenged in society.
Honours
In 1978, following his brilliant career at the Bar and Bench, the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1978 conferred him with the enviable honours of the Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON.
He also held the prestigious title of the Grand Knight of the Order of Saint Sylvester conferred on him by Pope Paul VI in 1977 as well as the Grand Knight of the Order of St. Gregory conferred on him by Pope John XXIII in 1978. His Lordship King Ambrose Alagoa was until his death a Honorary Citizen of Maryland, USA conferred on him by Governor Preston Smith in 1972.
In 1976, he was appointed Chairman of the Rivers State Commission of Inquiry into the Rivers State Tourists and Hotels Corporation and Chairman Commission of Inquiry into the Organisation and Management and Running of the Rivers State College of Education.
Also, he was Pro-Chancellor, University of Ilorin 1978 and later Pro-Chancellor, University of Sokoto 1982-83. In 1985, he was appointed Pro-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, a position he held until 2000. He was Life Patron, Nigerian Red Cross and Trustee, Port Harcourt Club.
In November 1988, following his rich and robust legal career, the University of Ilorin conferred on him an Honorary Doctor of Laws (Hon. LLD
Conclusion
There is no doubt that His Royal Mmajesty lived as fulfilled life and bequeathed a worthy legacy. Life is lived to the fullest when the person in question discovers purpose, walks in it and uses it to impact and transform lives cutting across generations.
This is the challenge thrown up by the life and times of this legend, colossus, cornucopia, renowned jurist and monarch extra ordinaire.
In the words of John Donne, the celebrated British Poet, “Every man’s death dehumanises me because I am involved in mankind and, therefore, never seems to know for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.”
Indeed, the task before the judiciary, officers of court and ministers in the temple of justice is therefore both daunting, herculean and onerous especially in a quasi democracy such as ours which appears to put democracy on the reverse and attempts to stand the rule of law on its head.
Even so, with the matchless legacy bequeathed by the late monarch in Nigeria’s jurisprudence, hope beckons for the judiciary and, indeed, the legal profession, to continue against all odds, to prove its mettle as the impartial arbiter of justice and what is more, live up to its billings as the much vaunted last hope of the common man now and in the generations ahead.
But the greater challenge lies before the Government and people of Bayelsa State as a wakeup call to immortalise a man who gave his all to the legal profession and leveraged it to drive the hallowed principles of peace, justice, equity, fairplay even in the most tempestuous of times, for as Williams Shakespeare puts it, “When beggars die, there are no comets seen. But the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of Princes.”
His Lordship, Late King Ambrose Ezolisa Alagoa was not just a prince. He was the Mingi XI, Amanyanabo of Nembe. He deserves to be immortalised and celebrated by his people.
It is against this background that the move by the Nembe Se Forum to initiate an Inaugural Lecture series to be held annually in his honour becomes not only heartwarming and commendable but above all historic. On its part, the Government, and in particular the Government and people of Bayelsa State must pick up the gauntlet and take it even several notches higher by giving honour to whom honour is due.