Novelist, Poet, Lecturer, Administrator
Gabriel Imomotimi Okara was a renowned literary icon from the Niger Delta and a recipient of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). He made significant contributions to African literature and the development of the media in Nigeria.
Synopsis
Gabriel Imomotimi Okara (1921-2019) hailed from Bumoundi Village in Ekpetiama Kingdom, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He was the first poet from the Niger Delta to gain international fame and was celebrated for his literary prowess. Okara served Nigeria with vigor and integrity, pioneering media establishments like Radio Rivers and The Nigerian Tide Newspapers, which remain his enduring legacies.
A prolific writer, Okara’s body of work includes notable publications such as “The Voice,” “The Fisherman’s Invocation,” and “As I See It.” He lived a fulfilled life and passed away in 2019 at the Federal Medical Center in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. He was laid to rest on June 22, 2019, in his hometown of Bumoundi.
Birth and Family Background
Gabriel Imomotimi Okara was born into a prominent family on April 24, 1921, in Bumoundi Village, Ekpetiama Kingdom, Southern Nigeria (now Bayelsa State). His father, Chief Samson Gbaingbain Pappah Okara, was the paramount ruler of Bumoundi and a successful businessman who worked for the Royal Niger Company and United Africa Company (UAC). Chief Okara was instrumental in establishing the first Anglican church (St. Stephen) in Ekpetiama. Gabriel’s mother, Mrs. Martha Ereoweidigha Okara, hailed from Tombia and was a devout Christian, which influenced the family’s religious upbringing.
Education
Gabriel Okara’s educational journey began at St. Peter’s Day School in Bumoundi and continued at Christ Army Church School in Port Harcourt. He later attended Reverend Proctor’s Memorial School in Kaiama, where he completed his primary education in 1934. Okara then gained admission to the prestigious Government College, Umuahia, in 1935. Known for its excellent tutors and facilities, the college produced many notable alumni, including Okara’s contemporaries such as Chinua Achebe and Christopher Okigbo.
Okara excelled academically and was a talented artist and writer. He passed the Senior Cambridge School Certificate Examination in 1940 and furthered his studies in Journalism at the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, USA, and the British Government Central Office of Information in London.
Career
Gabriel Okara’s career began with a stint at British Airways (then British Overseas Airways Corporation) from 1940 to 1944. He then worked as a bookbinder for the Government Press in Lagos while nurturing his passion for writing. In 1952, he became an Information Officer in Eastern Nigeria, eventually heading the agency in Enugu.
During the Nigerian Civil War, Okara served as Head of Information Service in Eastern Nigeria from 1967 to 1970, playing a crucial role in the diplomatic efforts of the Biafran government alongside figures like Chinua Achebe.
After the war, Okara was appointed Principal Secretary to the first Military Governor of Rivers State, Commodore Alfred Diete-Spiff, in 1970. He later became the pioneer General Manager of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation and set up The Tide Newspapers. In 1974, he established the Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation, operating Radio Rivers and Rivers State Television (RSTV).
Retirement and Legacy
Even after retiring from public service, Okara remained influential. He served as Commissioner for Information and Broadcasting in Rivers State and chaired the Committee on Recognition and Classification of Chieftaincy Stools in Bayelsa State. He was a writer-in-residence at the Rivers State Council for Arts and Culture and held various part-time lecturing positions.
Publications
Gabriel Okara was a prolific writer with a diverse range of publications, including “The Voice,” “The Fisherman’s Invocation,” and children’s books like “Juju Island” and “Little Snake and The Little Frog.” His non-fiction works include “Ogboinba, the Ijaw Creation Myth,” “African Speech… English Words,” and “Towards the Evolution of an African Language for African Literature.”
Additional Appointments, Awards, and Honors
Gabriel Okara received numerous awards and honors throughout his illustrious career:
- Best all-round entry in poetry at the Nigeria Festival of Arts for “The Call of the River Nun” in 1953
- Commonwealth Poetry Prize for “The Fisherman’s Invocation” in 1979
- Honorary Doctorate Degree – Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.), Honoris Causa for his literary excellence in 1982
- Conferred as Justice of the Peace (JP) and received Merit Awards from the Rivers State Government in 1992
- Nigeria National Honor of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2001
- NLNG Prize for “The Dreamer, His Vision” in 2005
- ICALEL Award of Excellence in Creativity in African Literature from the University of Calabar in 2006
- Pan African Writers’ Association Honorary Membership Award in 2009
- Distinguished Icon Award and recognition as Poet Laureate of the Niger Delta by Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson in 2016
- Gabriel Okara Literary Festival in 2017
In addition, the late Chief D.S.P Alamieyeseigha, Governor of Bayelsa State, donated a brand new Peugeot 406 car to Gabriel Okara during his 80th birthday celebration in 2001, organized by the Rivers State branch of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).
Memberships
Gabriel Okara was a grand patron of the Bayelsa State chapter of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), a member of the Pan African Writers’ Association, and was conferred as a Fellow of the prestigious Nigeria Academy of Letters (FNAL) honoris causa in 2010.
Family and Faith
Gabriel Okara was married and had four children. Initially an Anglican, he later embraced Christian Science and was a faithful member of the First Church of Christ Scientist branch in Port Harcourt, with its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
His Death
Dr. Gabriel Okara OON (JP) passed away in the early hours of Sunday, March 24, 2019, at the Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. In Okara’s words from one of his poems: “he laughed and laughed and laughed” in the face of adversity and death. He died a noble death at the age of 98, leaving behind an indelible legacy on the sands of time.
