His blood is blue. Reuben Boutuaowei Okoya is one of those revelations his state, Bayelsa and, by extension, Nigeria cannot run away from. He is a quiet achiever, whose roots deep in the creeks of Bayelsa have rather than limit him catapulted him to heights.
His late father, His Royal Majesty Ezekiel Pappah Okoya, sure laid a good foundation for him. He would have been proud to see how far his little boy of those days has come.
Before he mounted the throne as the Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama, he gave a lot to his society, especially when he served as the headmaster at St Stephens Schools Amassoma in the then Brass Division between 1945 and 1947. His years as a senior tutor in New Bethel College Onitsha between 1949 and 1951 were also the quintessence of service.
At a point, the late monarch made a career and life changing decision to become a politician. In December 1951, he stood for election in the first parliamentary election into the then Eastern Region House of Assembly in the Brass Constituency and he won. He became a representative of Brass Division in the House of Representatives in Lagos for two years and remained a member of the Eastern Region House of Assembly for 14 years, having stood for and winning four consecutive elections. His major pre-occupation was: the provision of social and other amenities for the minority.
The late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, who was the leader of the Eastern Region, appointed him the minister in the Eastern Region in January 1954 and he was reappointed by the late Dr Michael Okpara. He was the only person appointed a Minister with portfolio from the then Rivers Province. For 12 years, he was a minister: first as Minister of Transport between 1954 and 1957 during which he laid down a policy for the speedy and systematic construction and improvement of roads, bridges and waterways; he later became Minister of Health, a post he held from 1957 to 1961; the Information Ministry later beckoned and he was there from 1961 to 1966.
Some of his legacies are: building of four General Hospitals, at Yenagoa, Okrika, Nnewi and Arochukwu; provision of health centres at Odi, Sabagreia, Biseni, Kolo, Oporoma and Nembe; construction of the Mbiama/Yenogoa Road, Akwa/Owerri road and Port Hacourt to Bori Road; building of the former House of Assembly at Yenagoa; provision of portable water at Okordia/Zarama and Amassoma; establishing an Agricultural Department at Yenagoa and through his efforts Yenagoa was made the capital of Yenagoa Province (now Bayelsa State).
After the civil war, he continued serving his people as the Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama, which was later recognised as a First Class Chieftaincy. He also served as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the Port Harcourt City Council in 1979. He was the brain behind the Niger Delta State Movement, which was to ensure the creation of a State for all Ijaws from what are now Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Ondo states. He received numerous awards, including, Bayelsa State Founding Fathers Award, Ijaw National Congress Award, Bayelsa State Government Award, Oguan Congress Award, Bayelsa Youth Federation Award and became an Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR).
Like his late father, Reuben Boutuaowei Okoya is living a life of service. His achievements in the areas of infrastructural development are outstanding; just as his education and leadership style are dazzling. Described as a hard-working and dedicated professional, with sound skills in feasibility studies, strategic planning, master planning, construction management and conflict resolution, Okoya has had a terrific career.
From August 2011 to May 2015, he was Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC). In this role, he contributed greatly to the Federal Capital Territory’s desire to bequeath to Nigeria a first class capital city.
In that capacity, he co-ordinated the activities of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board; FCT Emergency Management Department; Development Control Department; and chaired the Committee on Security Requirement for Public/Private Institutions in FCT.
Before he became the AMMC Coordinator, he was Commissioner for Special Projects, Ministry of Special Projects, Bayelsa State and oversaw the delivery of a range of infrastructure, social, educational, medical and economic construction projects across the state. Some of the projects he conceived, implemented and completed include: engineering workshop, classroom and lecture theatre, auditorium/lecture theatre and classroom block, administrative block at the Niger Delta University; water supply, lecture theatre/classroom block and admin block of the Bayelsa State College of Health Sciences projects; and the renovation of the General Hospital, Okolobiri.
Others are: Kiama Internal Road Network; main State Secretariat Annex, Yenagoa; State Secretariat Annex 1, Yenagoa; Revenue House, Yenagoa; DSP IT Centre, Yenagoa; State Secretariat Annex, Yenagoa; Treasury Building, Yenagoa; and the Cultural Centre, Yenagoa.
Really, his strides in life should not be surprising given the fact that he is well-read. Soon, he will cap his academic qualification with a PhD in Environmental Management. He bagged a Master of Architecture in 1984, three years after earning a BSc in Environmental Design.
Fluent in English, Ijaw and Igbo, Okoya, who was born July 3, 1961, belongs to professional bodies, such as the American Institute of Architects, the Royal Institutes of British Architects and the Nigerian Institute of Architects.
The Bumoundi-born technocrat believes that “someday, Bayelsans will appreciate the greatness of their land when effective use of resources and disciplined approach to governance”. Should he be interested in governance, this statement may as well define his operation.