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HRM Frederick Abiye Temesuozigha Agama - Ogbotom Edede VI of the Atissa in Bayelsa State of Nigeria, was...

Agama was born in October 20th 1917 in Yenaka, nr Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. His Father was Chief Boie Agama and his mother was Osiyomokokwo Agama - who passed away when young Fred (as he was fondly called by his friends) was a few weeks old. He was her only child. The Epie/Atissa peopleare of Ijaw and Edoid stock - who live in the Central Niger Delta and trace their lineage and history to pre-historic times, through the Mien Owei branch of the Izon and it is believed the Oguan stock who trace their roots to the Bini Kingdom and have deep historic links to the neighbouring Zarama, Engenni and Degema.

HRM F. A. Agama, belonged to the very small number of Ijaw elite, who received ‘early’ education outside the present day Bayelsa State, as there were hardly any schools at that time. He started his primary education in Awka,in present day Anambra State, a result of his father’s friendship with an itinerant blacksmith from Awka. He was eight - in 1925. One day, a family story claimed, a group of men arrived in Awka (where he had lived for at least ten years) and took him back to his family in Yenaka, Bayelsa State, where he was a virtual stranger!.

He returned to Eastern Nigeria, where he attended Government Secondary School, Umuahia.(1945-52)

He went to the UK in 1953, where joined by his wife, Mrs Beatrice Agama (nee Porbeni). He lived in Shipley nr Southampton where he studied and obtained BSC. Economics from the University of Southampton and a Masters (MSc.) Statistical Economics from The University of London (1957).

Contextually, the first secondary school in present day Bayelsa State, Nigeria - Bishop Dimeari Secondary School. Yenagoa - was to be established two years later in 1955.

As a student in the UK, (on a half scholarship) he did a lot of odd jobs, working variously as a Barber, Royal Mail Postman and cleaner. He was a fervent follower of Mazi Mbonu Ojike,^[1] known famously as Mr Boycott for his slogan ‘Boycott the boycottables’ during the struggle for Nigerian independence.

Chief F. A. Agama was proudly Ijaw, and nationalist. Like Mazi Ojike, he was able to be completely Ijaw, while adopting few selected western norms. For instance he named all his children in the Ijaw language - fully utilising the Ijaw naming traditions of story telling. Tiedo - naming of his first son,- for example meaning ‘One is free”. He did so at a time when most of his contemporaries were anglicising existing Ijaw names or naming their children with English names.

On his return from the UK in 1957 he joined the Western Nigeria Educational Service, of the Colonial Nigerian Civil Service.

Arguably his best years as a teacher, and inadvertently, his most influential in the Niger Delta happened when he was transferred from the Western Nigeria Educational service to the Eastern Service Nigeria see Government Gazette dated 1958-09-18 number 64.^[2] As a teacher in his almer mater, Government Secondary School Umaihia he was fondly referred to as simply F. A. He taught in various schools including St Barnabas Kaiama, Bayelsa State, teaching students (most of whom were his age mates or older than he was). His former students were a veritable compendium of who is who and leading lights of the old Rivers State and latterly Bayelsa State across all disciples

He was fluent in a number of languages including Igbo, as he spent part of his childhood in Awka - where he had his early eduction, up to Primary Six.

He joined the all powerful ShellBP Nigeria in 1959 - where he variously held senior positions such as Head of Estates, and Personnel manager - (the first African to do so) until his retirement in 1973. Notably during his time in Shell BP, he was the first head of Occupational Learning, where he helped in providing opportunities for Niger Delta indigenes - mainly in the maritime sector - most gaining training and employment as Cadet officers in the Shell Tanker Fleet

At ShellBP he was described variously as the last man standing or our man in PH, as he was the only Management staff, who remained behind in Port Harcourt ( a major theatre of the Civil war) and was effectively the custodian of Shell assets during the entirety of the war. Shell did not lose any property as a consequence of the war. This was a rather precarious time for non-Igbo indigenes in PH, having been saved from arrest (on at least one occasion) by a former student when he was a teacher at Government College Umuahia.

Years later he rallied against what were unfair practices that favoured the white ‘expatriates’. Accusing ShellBP of reneging on a previous gentleman’s agreement relating to his residence. Shell BP at the time accounted for over 40% of Nigeria’s total oil output, which in turn accounted for 90% of the nation’s income and 25% of its GDP. Fynas (1998)^[3] described Shell’s interconnectedness to state structures, to make it impervious to political Instability. This did not exclude the judiciary it seemed.

Chief F. A. Agama became the first Chair of the newly formed River State Schools Management Board (1975) He was a Director of Pan African Bank, Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Member of the Rivers State Tourism Committee, Chairman of the Port Harcourt Christian Council project. He was chair of the Nabele Project Elele. (Home for the Disabled). He served as a Council member of the University of Maiduguri and served meritoriously on the board of the NUC. Nigerian Universities Commission.

He served as Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Bayelsa State Special Development fund after the formation of Bayelsa State in 2000.

Chief F. A. Agama struck a lifelong friendship with Prof Jibril Aminu, who he worked with first as a member of the Nigeria Universities Commission (75-79) while Jibril Aminu was Executive Secretary and as a member of the University of Maiduguri Governing Council 1980–1985.

Often quoted as a co-licencee or director (with the Late O B Lulu Briggs as Chairman) of Moni-Pulo Limited. See Real Owners of Oil Fields in Nigeria^{[4] [5]} It is not ascertained that Chief F A Agama did in fact have any active or revenue accruing shares or beneficial interest in the Moni-Pulo Business.

HRM F A Agama, Ogbotom Edede VI, died peaceful on the 4th of January 2004 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, surrounded by family. A death some believed he foretold, after he warned those close at hand of his impending passing a day before. He was 87.

He was succeeded as Ogbotom Edede and Ebeni-Ibe Atissa by HRM Godwin Gurosi Igodo. KSC, JP., Ogbotom Edede VII, who was crowned on the 29th of July 2006.