Teacher, Medical Doctor, HRM
Birth and Parents
A seasoned Medical Doctor, whose contributions to the medical profession of the country was indisputable. He specialized in operating on Water on the brain babies and documented his experiences amongst other difficult procedures he carried out on persons not only in the foreign shores but mostly back home in Nigeria.
He also became a first class traditional ruler of The Tarakiri Kingdom in Bayelsa State (2000) where He made tremendous innovations to traditional administration in the Izon Nation. Born on 5 March, 1930 at his hometown Ebedebiri Town (which He called Ebedoubiri saying We are People who love good things) by His Father Owuku Eseimokumoh and His Mother Keniyinbo Owuopele Eseimokumoh both of Tarakiri descent.
Education and Career Life
As a teenager Pere Eseimokumoh had a passion for saving twins and helping the elderly a trait that Groomed His medical creativity. He received his primary education at Native Administration School, Ebedebiri from 1939 to 1949. In 1952, with the help of his eldest sister Yinlade, he proceeded to Government Teachers Training College, Abraka and passed out in 1955. This career propelled him to his serving as a Teacher at Africa school, Apapa-Lagos from 1955-1957. Then he moved over to the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industries where he worked as a clerk between 1957 and 1959.
Pere Eseimokumoh braced up and faced the challenges and decided he needed to do more to impact the lives of people, for that was his focus. He grew to becoming a Clerk at the Central Bank of Nigeria from 1959 to 1961 when he resigned his appointment and flew abroad for further studies because the Medical Profession became his major desire. He went to Germany to fulfill this dream and studied at the University of Leipzig, Germany and later the University of Rostock, Germany and also the University of Jena, Germany between 1961 and 1973. At the end of it all he had garnered a string of degrees that included; MSE, GSC (Surg), FMCS and Medical Doctorate (PhD) and returned to Nigeria in 1974 to serve his people.
Practicing Physician
The German trained Medical doctor worked to the pinnacle of his profession, a career that started in 1974 when he was a Senior Registrar in the surgery department at the Rivers State Ministry of Health, Port Harcourt. He rose through the ranks to Consultant, Senior Consultant, Chief Consultant and Chief Consultant Surgeon. For a period he was a formidable Director of Health Services in the Directorate of Health, Governor’s Office (1979-1983), Rivers state. His last forte in the public service was a Chief Consultant in Charge of Braithwaithe Memorial Hospital, a Special hospital owned by the Rivers state Government. He retired unblemished and meritoriously from service in 1995.
HRM King Dr Eseimokumoh was a core professional, well known in and outside professional circles. He was a member of Nigerian Medical Association and member of the German Association of Surgeons (East Germany). Also, he was for a time Chairman, Industrial and Business Promotion Commission, Old Rivers state (1980). His forthrightness and style of leadership brought vibrancy to the commission. Quite apolitical, furthermore, he was made a member of the advisory committee to the governor of Bayelsa state and also appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors, Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa.
Over the years he had authored several Medical Publications.
His Family
HRM King Dr Eseimokumoh was a polygamist, He got married to three (3) wives that produced six(6) children before he left for overseas precisely Germany. At Germany, He was married to late Dr (Mrs) Waltraud Eseimokumoh (nee Rosenberger) a German who was undoubtedly a world class physician that he met while he studied in Germany. The marriage was blessed with two children.
As Royal Majesty
After his retirement in 1995, he returned to become King and was very much involved in the activities of the Kingdom. It is worthy to state herein, prior to becoming King he fought for the Kingdom to be established with Royalty being possible for any True Tarakiri Born, going to court to gazette the Royal stool of the Kingdom. He eventually became the Chairman, Tarakiri Council of Chiefs and traditional Prime Minister in the 1990s. In 2000, as an evidence to the cases won to separate the Royal stool from the Traditional Priesthood, he was installed the PERE of Tarakiri kingdom as Tarakiriowei VI, winning the First constitutional Election of the Kingdom with One Vote he called the Golden Vote And ruled His People for 12years.
HRM King Dr Eseimokumoh was a technocrat and royal father whose ascendancy to throne brought the much needed peace and progress to the kingdom.
He was an old Rivers state diver having friends like Alfred Diete Spiff and Frank Eke. He was a prominent traditional wrestler in the defunct western ijaw division in defunct western region of Nigeria. And he was also an avid reader and a consummate writer and orator with an apt memory of events and history.
As a Justice of the peace, he was a lovable personality and extremely wise in handling areas of conflicts within his space. For a long period, he had touched the people of his Kingdom positively giving free medical attention to so many individuals within and outside his domain.
His Death
King Harris Sellenanabo Eseimokumoh died on the 21st of March 2012.
