How Elder citizen Alagoa Celebrated Commissioning of Orugbum Crescent
Professor Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa, a famous archeologist renowned for his contributions to the development of Nigerian history unexpectedly turned out on Monday at the commissioning of the Orugbum Crescent Project.
Incidentally, the articulate academic who has published several works on the people and history of the Niger Delta is one of the elder citizens who live along the street that Wike has completely transformed, the Port Harcourt Telegraph reports.
Apparently pleased with the complete reconstruction of the road once filled with potholes, the elder citizen born in 1933 stepped out of the comfort of his home on a sunny day to demonstrate his solidarity with the Government and people of Rivers State.
Professor Alagoa
Alagoa sat among dignitaries who were present to watch as the State Government which has comparatively commissioned much more projects in the second tenure than it did in the first, opened the road to traffic.
Governor Nyesom Wike obviously touched by the example of the senior citizen thanked him for turning out on his own to witness the ceremony.
Wike recalled the contributions made by the erudite professor to the growth of knowledge and the advancement of archeological studies, saying the academic has no doubt distinguished himself as a scholar.
Wike… Touched by Professor Alagoa’s at the commissioning ceremony.
Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa isn’t merely a university teacher. He is, an accomplished author as well.
Prof as many, including his former students refer to him, is notable among other things for his books which have been widely reviewed worldwide.
“The Small Brave City-State: A History of Nembe-Brass in the Niger Delta”, “A History of the Niger Delta: An Historical Interpretation of Ijo Oral Tradition”, and “The Python’s Eye: The Past in the Living Present” are some of his books.
Others are “King Boy of Brass”, “People of the Fish and Eagle: A History of Okpoama in the Eastern Niger Delta” and “Jaja of Opobo: The Slave Who Became a King”.
Working with Adadonye Fombo, Alagoa published “A Chronicle of Grand Bonny” in 1972.
He collaborated with Nwanna Nzewunwa in 1980 to produce “The History of Ogbakiri: An Introduction”
Alagoa began his career as an archivist at the National Archives of Nigeria, Ibadan.
He became senior archivist between 1959 and 1962. He moved to the University of Lagos as a lecturer in African history in1965.
In 1967, he joined the University of Ibadan as a senior research fellow at the Institute of African Studies.
In 1972, Alagoa returned to the University of Lagos as a professor of history and director of Centre of Cultural Studies.
But in 1977; the revered professor enlisted at the University of Port Harcourt, where he became the Dean of School of Humanities.
He would later serve as deputy vice chancellor between 1980 and 1981; acting vice chancellor, 1982; dean of School of Graduate Studies, 1982-83, 1985-87; and chair of the faculty of humanities of Niger Delta Research Group, 1990-98.
Alagoa was a visiting scholar in 1989 at the Frobenius Institute, resident scholar at Bellagio Study and Conference Center in 1990; and research scholar at Brown University between1993 and 1994 among others.
Professor Alagoa is 89 years old.