His Royal Highness Christian Otobotekere
Senator (Arc) George Sekibo Tribute.
A Reminiscence on HRH Christian Atani Okpofaa Otobotekere JP
My other father in another land
Adieu King Otobotekere! Adieu, My Other Father In Another Land!!
March On To Your Glory, My The Lord Guide You to the World Beyond
In November 1986, barely three months after my National Youth Service scheme, Dr Matthew O. Mamah, the then General Manager of Waterglass Boatyard Limited, took me to Tombia in Yenagoa on the invitation of King Christian Otobotekere, the Amanana-owei of Tombia to measure the design of his proposed palace. On one of his visits to Dr Mamah in his office at the Waterglass Boatyard Limited, the King met me discussing a showroom design I made for the company and was keenly interested in my approach to the design. On that note, he asked my host, Dr Mamah, to accompany me to Tombia. I had yet to hear of Tombia in Yenagoa before. Tombia, one of the Kalabari communities in Rivers State, readily came to my mind, but the King said no, and that this Tombia was in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Rivers State (Bayelsa State was not yet created then).
Dr Mamah accepted the journey and slated it for 29 November 1986, as the King requested it should be by the month’s end. There was no road from Port Harcourt to Tombia then, so we had to use a passport speed boat for the journey that lasted 6 hours or more from Nembe waterside in Port Harcourt to Tombia waterfront. On our arrival at the Tombia waterfronts, youths stationed to receive us took us to the King’s home. It was evident that we were indeed in a King’s palace because of the number of youths, women and elders that were at the King’s home seeking his attention.
Due to the late arrival, we could not go to the site for the measurement and that was postponed to the next day Sunday the 30th. This disappointment occasioned by our late arrival was an opportunity in disguise. In an hours-time, dinner was served and for the first time, I sat at a dinner table that could accommodate over 10 persons. The King and his children sat at dinner with us. It was an exciting gathering as he poured out words of wisdom that stuck in my memory to date.
Three things caught my attention. First was when he introduced his children to me, then about five or six in the community while others were outside. He told me he has fourteen girls as direct biological children with no male children. I looked surprisingly into his eyes, and he responded as he understood why my intent look on him. “Girls are better gifts from God, and they are incubators to the male children that you never had. As each one gets married, she brings a male child (the husband) home and again, women are better caretakers than men”. He told me about some of them that have already gotten married, one that was married to Chief Barrister Zebulun Abule.
As the discussion continued, he asked me about my clients’ profiles, and I told him that I had only Dr M. O. Mamah as my chief client. He smiled and promised, “I will increase your clientele if only you would diligently handle my palace designs”. He then promised to introduce me to Dr Lawrence B. Ekpebu, the then Nigerian Ambassador to Ivory Coast and his son-in-law Chief Barr. Zebulun Abule. These were substantial profile citizens at that time and at any other time to be your clients as they may be open-ended doors to other clients at their level.
The third issue he raised was his gladness in my humility in how I approach every issue. This impelled him to ask about my pedigree, and I was obliged to give him a rundown of my background. He said, “Hold on to this, your humble nature and give sincere service to whomever I introduce you to as I do not want to hear any negative comment of you from them and any other subsequent person you may come across through these men as sincerity and humility in service would attract more recommendation that would build a great future for you”.
He fulfilled his promises. Dr Lawrence B. Ekpebu and Chief Zebulun Abule became my clients; through them, I became an architect to many great men. He did not stop there as he kept monitoring my activities with those, he introduced me to and ensured that I was treated fairly. My life as an architect might not be the same if I had not gotten the privilege of knowing the King who acted for me as though I was his son.
When my friend Hon. Nimi Walson-Jack informed me of the demise of HRH King Otobotekere and that his wife, Didi, was one of the pretty daughters of the King, I was sad that he had left to be with his creator, more so, my inability to pay him a visit for years. However, I was also glad King Otobotekere lived Ninety-Eight years of a fulfilled life.
He mentored me at a tender age and as a young freelance architect to greatness, so he did the same to many other young people.
May I use this medium to console the entire family, knowing that it is painful to lose a husband, father, and grandfather, but we should take solace in the fact that Papa lived a good life worthy of emulation and that you are one of the numerous legacies he bequeathed to society.
May I again, on behalf of the Rivers East Senatorial District and my family, send my heartfelt condolences to you all as I wish our father’s soul to rest in perfect peace in the bosom of the LORD.
Adieu King Otobotekere!
Adieu, my other father in another land!!
March on to your glory as the LORD guides you to eternal rest.
Senator (Arc) George Sekibo
Rivers East Senatorial District
