Hon. Eziwoke I. Wokoma
Buguma Community in the USA (BCOM-USA) and well-wishers mourn the passing of an illustrious son of Buguma, Rivers State, Nigeria, Hon. Eziwoke Igonikon Wokoma. Hon. Eziwoke Igonikon Wokoma was the first Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria on her creation in May 16, 1989. He was a great and exemplary Elder Statesman, son, brother, father, grandfather, in-law, uncle and friend to many. Hon. Wokoma was born into the Family of Elder Igonikon Mbre Wokoma and Madame Dere Igonikon Wokoma (nee Charles Wokoma), on 1st February 1926.
EDUCATION
He attended primary schools at Our Saviour’s Primary School, Buguma in 1934, and St Michael’s Primary School, Buguma where he obtained the Standard Six Certificate in 1941. He attended Kalabari National College (KNC), Buguma, and obtained his Junior Cambridge Certificate in 1945 and Senior Cambridge Secondary Certificate in 1947. He taught briefly at Our Saviour’s Primary School, Buguma in 1948 then proceeded to Kaduna in Northern Nigeria as Accounts Clerk in the Public Works Department in 1948. He joined the Geological Survey at Kaduna in 1949 and went to England with a British Council Scholarship and obtained a Certificate Diploma in Cartography. He later went to the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences, (ITC) Enschede, The Netherlands in 1975. During this period, he made excursions to many European cities to see their cities planning first hand. He returned to the Geological Survey at Kaduna and rose to the rank of Assistant Chief Technical Officer (Cartography) before his official retirement in January 1985.
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
Papa was a devout Anglican, a baptized member of St. Michael’s Anglican Church, Buguma. He was married and had sixteen children. For over forty years, he was strongly associated with all the self-help developmental projects in Buguma, first as a member of the Age Group and later BAINBO TARIAH AWO SOCIETY where he held various offices and was honored as the FIRST PATRON MEMBER of the society. He later received an Award of Excellence from same (Bainbo Tariah Awo) for his services to Buguma. He was a member of the Buguma Internal Affairs Society (BIAS), from 1948 to 1993. During the Buguma Centenary in 1984, he was the Chairman of Works on the Centenary Planning Committee. As project manager of BIAS, he was fully committed to the development of Buguma. He worked with various kings and patriotic citizens of Buguma on various projects including clearing the old cemetery for locating KNC, acquisition of a post office for Buguma in 1963, improvement of the environment of KNC and the relocation of Kalabari Girls High School (KGHS) from Ido to KNC and Kings College of Commerce (KCC) from Port Harcourt to Buguma. He was involved in the development of Aladuein Piri now Abbi Ama as grave site of King Abbey, Chief Idoniboye Obu, Chief Obu Johnwest, and others in 1977, the development of Buguma sand-filled area plots, Buguma Jetty (1987-1988), Buguma Conference Hall, and first official map of ASALGA upon creation. He was elected a Councilor Representing Ward 8, in the old Degema Local Government Area from January 1988 to May 1989.
As a prominent member of the Wokoma family, he was fully involved in the installations of chiefs. His services were readily available to the Wokoma House, and he served as the Land Allocation Committee Chairman for survey and allocation of plots at the Wokoma Waterfront facing the Buguma River. He was honored with Award of Excellence by the Horsfall Group of houses. Visit more of Hon. Wokoma’s biography at www.hon-eziwoke-i-wokoma@forevermissed.com.
Papa was popularly known and addressed as Kalabro. He is survived by his wife Mrs. Tubonimi Gogo E.I. Wokoma (nee Brown-West) and 14 adult children, many grandchildren and great grandchildren. He will be sourly missed. BCOM joins his families in asking for prayers of comfort for his family members and others he left behind. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
Service of Songs
Date: Sunday January 03, 2016
Venue: Victory Community Church
4550 N Black Canyon HWY, Phoenix, AZ 85017
Time: 2:00pm
Burial
Date: January 9, 2016
Place: St. Michael Anglican Church, Buguma, (ASALGA), Rivers State, Nigeria
RSVP
Enesima & Telema Briggs
623-694-7520 / 623-206-5084
