AMAOPUSENIBO CAPTAIN (Rtd) PHD. SOWARIBI VICTOR TOLOFARI
(Popularly known as Captain Tolofari)

Captain Tolofari was born on 1 January, 1956 in his village Kalaibiama in Bonny Kingdom, Rivers State Nigeria. While in the womb he could not be delivered as his mother went into labor through the night of 31st December 1955 up to the early hours of 1st January 1956. There was a prophetess named Madam WARIDIBO FILA who also was number one traditional birth attendant then who instructed Captain Tolofari while in the womb to “come down” immediately after morning service of that 1st day of January 1956 when she must have returned from church of the New Year’s Eve. Precisely and surprisingly that was how his birth happened. He laid on the floor neither cried nor shook and everyone present was asking whether he was alive, then the prophetess like an order said to him, “you must indicate you are alive before you leave the floor” thereafter, 2 hours later he was a lively baby boy. There have never been a similar birth in the annals of births in Kalaibiama and was greeted with euphoria in the absence of any medical explanation. Thereafter, the joy and happiness which erupted ended up in a rally among TOLOFARI and POLLYN Houses’ Women. This made Madam OWUTA FILA his grandmother’s elder sister to nickname him ‘AMAFIEMABO’ meaning COMMUNITY ROUSER which later changed to SEFIAMABO meaning NATION ROUSER after the Military coup of 22nd April, 1990.

As a growing up kid, Captain Tolofari was friendly and respectful and this resulted to him to becoming friends with some soldiers who stationed at Kalaibiama in 1967 when he was 10 years old and helping them ran some errands. A particular soldier insisted to take Captain Tolofari along with him according to him to go train him because he was brilliant and intelligent, his grandmother seeing the persuasion of the soldier which seemingly would become force hid him and this got the soldier so angry after unsuccessfully searching for him roundabout including at school confronted his grandmother accusing her of hiding him this resulted the rising up of the entire Kalaibiama to say “NO”. However, this still didn’t stop the soldier from his intention as he told the next batch of soldiers about Captain Tolofari.

Captain Tolofari attended St Thomas Christ Army Church (CAC) Primary School at Kalaibiama and then ended up at Bonny Government School, Bonny (1969). He later enrolled in the then elitist Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borikiri Port Harcourt (1970 -1974). He obtained Diploma in BUSINESS ADMIN, at College of Science and Technology (CST), Rivers State in March, 1978. He later obtained Higher National Diploma (HND) at distinction level, in Business Administration (Marketing) on 19th June, 1980.

While in College of Science and Technology (CST), Captain Tolofari participated actively in campus politics. He was the Secretary-General, CST’S Students Government and Assistant Secretary-General of NUNS (National Union of Nigerian Students). The CST’s Authority one time disqualified his standing as Presidential candidate by rusticating him for one academic session .The Authority ‘s grouse was that he established a newsletter called THE BROOM which promised to sweep to the open, and did swept /dug out ‘rots’ that were going on in the institution. The Broom became a nightmare not only to the academic staff but also to the Administrative staff who engaged in shady activities. The publication was proscribed.

After graduation in College of Science and Technology (CST), Captain Tolofari did not get employed for about 2 years, then decided to make a career in the Nigerian Army through Courses at the NDA and became a Military Police officer in the Provost Battalion, Army Head Quarters, Lagos, after graduating from the NDA. He passed with top grades, receiving an award of “Officers’ Commission”. His dedication and intelligence he demonstrated enabled him several positions within the said Battalion, one of which was ADJUCTANT. lt was in this place he worked till he retired attaining Captain’s Rank. He later attended and successfully concluded the course for promotion to the Rank of Major but had not been decorated before the coup/Revolution of 22nd April, 1990.

Thereafter, he obtained MBA (Master of Business Administration) in University of Hull, Greenwich School of Management, England in May, 2000, MPHIL (Master of Philosophy) on 1st December, 2005 and Ph.D (Doctor of Philosophy) on 3rd December, 2008 at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. These were beside lesser certificates and Diplomas he obtained later in life.

To be continued…