Teacher, Principal, Permanent Secretary and School Proprietor
Dame Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari was well regarded for her sense of style and had been severally described as a fashionista. She was an intelligent school tutor/principal in the early 1970s. She retired as a Permanent Secretary in the public service.
Synopsis
Dame Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari JP (1939-2018) was from Ogbolomabiri town in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa state. She grew up within the fold of a relatively well to do family. Her father was Late Chief Kombo-Igbeta a foremost educationist from Nembe. She took a cue from her dad in education.
Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari turned out to be a dedicated school’s Tutor/Principal in the old Rivers State. Afterwards, she meritoriously retired as a permanent secretary from the public service of Bayelsa State and established a school (Ala International Montessori School). In her lifetime, Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari was a dedicated Anglican. She died on 4 October 2018 at the age of 79.
Her Parents and Siblings
Dame Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari was born into a family of affluence, and her father was late S.F Kombo-Igbeta a renowned educationist from the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. He was a Geography teacher at Methodist College, Uzakoli in the 1940s thereabout. As a teacher, he had trained a vast amount of personalities in Nigeria. Also, he was Headmaster, Provincial Educational Officer and Principal of schools in Nembe, Bonny, Etinam, Uzuakoli, Ile-Ife, Lagos, Uyo and Owerri in Nigeria.
Subsequently, late S.F Kombo-Igbeta served as a pioneer commissioner in the executive council of Lieutenant Commander Diete Spiff the first Military Governor of old Rivers State.
Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari’s mother was late Mrs Eugenia T.M kombo Igbeta, was also an educated woman.
She was the first child of her parents, and all of her siblings are erudite scholars that had kept footprints on the sands of time.
When and where was she born?
Dame Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari was born on November 4, 1939, in Uzuakoli community of Aba province in the then Eastern Region of Nigeria.
Dame Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari’s Husband and Children
She got wedded to Mr. Hans Suku-Abrakasa (Sir (Chief) Engr. Hans Suku-Ogbari) at All Saint Anglican Church, Yaba Lagos on 28 December 1968. The couple went on to have five children together.
Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari had a wonderful marriage life. She and Sir (Chief) Engr. Hans Suku-Ogbari usually celebrates their wedding anniversary. They had already planned to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on 28 December 2018, but her death on 4 October 2018 aborted the planned celebration.
Education
Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari attended several elementary schools in the late 1950s due to reasons that her father was a notable schools teacher and principal at several towns at different periods.
However, between 1955 and 1961 she was at Cornelia Connelly College (Girls) Uyo, Eastern Nigeria (now Akwa-Ibon state) and got her West Africa school certificate. In 1962, at the same Cornelia Connelly College (Girls) got her higher school certificate.
Subsequently, between 1963 and 1966 she was at the prestigious University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and got a Bachelor of Arts in History.
Afterwards, she got a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) at the University of Ibadan from 1972 to 1973
Career
Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari had a brilliant working career as a teacher, principal, and administrator. She started her working career as a primary school teacher at Ibeku Central School Umuahia in the then eastern Nigeria just after her secondary education in 1960. Subsequently, she was transferred briefly to tutor at Anglican Grammar school Umuahia for four months.
She also had a stint with British Bank of West Africa (BBWA) as a Clerk from February to September 1963.
She tutored at Egbu Girl’s Secondary School, Owerri-Enugu state from July 1966 to June 1967 and was promoted Principal in July 1967 thereabout. Subsequently, she quitted as principal at Egbu Girl’s Secondary School got another teaching job at City College, Lagos between March 1968 and December 1970.
As A Principal
Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari was at Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri-Port Harcourt as a teacher from 1971-1973. Between 1973 and 1979, she was principal Government Girls Secondary School, Harbor Road Port Harcourt. Also, she was principal at Arch-bishop Crowder Memorial Girl’s School, Elelenwo Port Harcourt from 1979 to 1981.
An Administrator
Incidentally, between 1981 and 1983 she was promoted from the rank of a principal to Deputy Chief Inspector of Education (Primary Teacher Education) Rivers State School’s Board.
Later, she was promoted as Chief Inspector of Education from 1983 to 1987. Between 1988 and 1996 she became a substantive Director of Education (Secondary and Adult and Non-formal education) Rivers State.
From 1996 to 1998, she was Director to the Agency for Adult and Non-formal Education Rivers State.
As Permanent Secretary
Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari attained the apex of her career as she was promoted as Permanent Secretary in the Bayelsa State public service in March 1998 thereabout. She administered the following Ministries as Permanent Secretary: Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Lands and Housing, Ministry of Education and finally retired meritoriously from the Public Service on 30 June 2001. She was an administrator par excellence.
Ala Montessori
In 1998, she founded a renowned and classic school (Ala International Montessori Infant, Junior and High School) at Ekeki-Epie, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Her Major Achievements
Dame Freda Eneni Suku-ogbari’s achievements are veritable in the educational sector and beyond. She had tutored and inspired many great minds from the Niger Delta and afar in their secondary school days who are impacting our society.
Ala International Montessori is a success story to be told. A well-equipped school with only nine pupils in 1998 and now has over five hundred students and with vibrant qualified teachers making a living from the establishment.
Her Faith
Dame Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari was born into an Anglican family. She worshipped at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church (Nembe section), Diobu Port Harcourt, and later Cyprian Church Hospital Road Port Harcourt. The Bishop of Niger Delta West knighted her as a Dame in 2006.
When Did She Die?
Dame Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari died ten days after she returned from her usual annual vacation from the United States of America on 4 October 2018 in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
Afterwards, Dame Freda Eneni Suku-Ogbari was interred on 10 November 2018 by the Anglican Church at Nembe. She was aged 79.
