Published by Thisday Newspaper
Pa Arthur Okorie Uzoma Okowa the father of the Executive Governor of Delta State His Excellency Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa turned 83 recently. Born to the Okowa Ehiade family of Owa Alero in Owa Kingdom in 1932 he had a very hectic early life, having been born into a polygamous family where rift was the order of the day. He was the first son of the 2nd of his father’s three wives.
And since his father’s first wife didn’t give birth to the first son of the family, he incurred the wrath and hatred of the family so to speak. As a result of this disregard for him he was not sent to school. It was his grandfather that sponsored him to Primary School, Iroro Primary School Ika North-East Local Government Area between 1942 and 1950. Thereafter he worked as a steward at AT & P Sapele for two years, (1951 – 1952). He returned home in 1952 when his grandfather and mentor died.
In 1953 he was employed as a teacher at Akumazi Umuocha in Ika North-East Local Government Area where he taught for two years and was posted to another primary School at Oza – nogogo in the same Ika North-East Local Government Area. He taught in this school for only five months and left for Teachers’ Training College at PTTC Agbede in Edo State. After two years training in the College he obtained the TC3 certificate in 1958. In 1960 he went further in his teaching career by enrolling at Benin Delta Teacher Training College which was the nucleus centre of the University of Benin. He graduated from this school with TC2 certificate in January 1962. With this highly valued certificate in those days he taught in many primary schools in the Old Benin and Delta Divisions.
In 1972 he proceeds to the University of Ibadan for his Diploma Certificate in Education which he obtained the following year. Between 1975 and 1977 he was the Adult Education Organizer for the entire Ika North-East Local Government Area.
In September 1977 he left Nigeria for a 3 years course at the University of Wales on partial scholarship and study leave with pay from the Bendel State Government.
He graduated with Bachelor of Education of the University of Wales in October 1979 and on return to Nigeria was posted to Onitcha Olona Teachers Training College. He was in this College between 1979 and 1982 when he was posted to Owa Oyibo to open a new Teachers Training College. He was in the college until his retired in 1984 on Principal Grade.
He married his first wife Victoria, a native of Abago in Ika-South Local Government Area in 1957. The marriage was blessed with seven children: Mrs. Stella Ebogini a mid-wife, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Chief Anthony Okowa a businessman and Politian, Mrs. Ethel Shanton a British national who lives with her family in the United States of America, Mrs. Deborah Arinze also resident in America with her family, Messrs Solomon and Wisdom Okowa both businessmen. He also has another daughter Mrs. Odunukan a school proprietor in Sagamu Ogun State.
Pa Okowa married his second wife Patricia in 1993. He has been honored with many awards including Episcopal Award from Ika Anglican Diocese and Fellowship of Human and National Resources. He has also received many chieftaincy titles including Ojeanyigbe of Owa, Ojeywe of Ejeneanigor, Isama of Mbiri, and Obaseki of Igbodo.
Pa Okowa regrets that the standard of Education in Nigeria has fallen drastically. He attributes this to, among others the craze by the youths of these days for easy money and the scrapping of Teacher Training Certificate (TTC). According to him, “It was in the then TTC’s that you were well grounded in the Principles and Practice of Education and you imbibed high moral and ethical values which you would impart in your students. Even the Higher School Certificate which we imported from our colonial master has been abandoned. They still have HSC in the UK. Until we return to the era of devoting serious attention to producing high quality teachers our educational standard will continue to go down”.
He is of the view that the colleges of education we have these days are not doing enough and that the products of these colleges are mere birds of passage as they, soon after graduating from these colleges pursue degree programmes in other disciplines in universities. He still affirms that just as was believed in the years of yore the teachers’ reward is in heaven. “We take pride in the success of very many of our students whom we regard as our children.
You are happy that this President, Governor, Minister or Commissioner was brought up by you, counseled by you and taught to follow the ways of the Lord by you. These alone give you joy and peace of mind, not the drop in the ocean that is called monthly pension which is hardly enough for your maintenance for three days.”
It is the prayer of all men of good will that such accomplished builders of men like Pa Arthur Uzoma Okowa will continue to live long and enjoy the abundant blessings of the Lord and the fruits of their labours.
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