Twenty-Eight years after, the name of Sergeant (Sgt.) Rowland Oweiyegha Imoun Tonlagha once again comes alive in Benikrukru community, Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, as the late Father and Hero in the Tonlagha Dynasty is being commemorated on Friday, November 8, 2024.

The late Sgt. Tonlagha, born nearly two decades after the amalgamation of Nigeria "at Daubiriye on the 13th August, 1932 into the families of late Pa Imoun Tonlagha of Gbazor Quarters, Benikrukru Community, and late Mrs. Zei-Ebi Tonlagha (Nee Saimuzu) of Ibu Quarters, Okerenkoko Community, both of Gbaramatu Kingdom," passed away in 1996 at the age of 64 years old.

Adjudge by those who knew him as a man of "magnanimity, generosity and philanthropy gesture," his personality traits have continued to reflect in the lives of his descendants, as particularly championed by one of his sons, Mr. Matthew Tonlagha, the Chief Executive Officer/Chairman of Maton Engineering Nigeria Limited and Executive Director of Fenog Nigeria Limited, the host of the annual Benikrukru Christmas Carnival and co-founder of the Esther Matthew Tonlagha (EMT) Foundation.

Though, "with very limited formal education," the late Sgt. Tonlagha was however "a very adventurous man who loved catching parrot and hunting, while staying with his paternal Aunty, Mrs. Aderebo Eseiyeakiagha (Nee Tebeawoni) at Azama," one of the neighbouring communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, “where he cut his teeth of parrot catching and hunting and took out his daily catches that were reared in cages for sales.”

According to his biography, "Papa was so passionate about catching parrots that his father bought the forest for him during the season when the parrots breeds their young ones; hardly a day passed by without him coming back home with at least one catch! In those days, and even today, parrot was and remains an expensive and highly admired bird."

Tapping his hunting skills from a well-renowned hunter and cousin brother, "Chief Sunday Okirika (of blessed memory)" the late Sgt. Tonlagha was also assisted by his cousin sister, late Mrs. Martha Wariyai, who brought her ingenuity into the trade of marketing his catch.

"She make her sales sometimes at Warri and Lagos. Interestingly, most times, she made double sales for him; that before selling, she would cover the parrot head with cloth and pluck the red feathers which attracted a better price. She then sell these feathers to Yoruba traders at Warri to generate additional income for him."

Asides hunting, the late Sgt. Tonlagha was also a fisherman, a trade he inherited from his forebears, combining "his great hunting enterprise with fishing and other activities that men of his time and age were typically identified with."

His journey to become a sergeant began in the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War in 1967. But before that episode, he ventured into the marine sector influenced by the aquatic nature of his environment.

"Papa left his aunt at Azama and moved to Ogidigben, where he met his uncle, Chief Igulaghawei Gula A.K.A. Senior Captain Gula, under whose tutelage he learned how to pilot sea-going vessels. His enterprising drive took him around the world. It is to his credit and ingenuity that his global voyage took him to about 57 countries of the world.

"During one of these voyages, while at Liverpool in the United Kingdom, he heard the news about the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War. Papa quickly abandoned his sailing work and returned to Nigeria. Subsequently, he was enlisted into the Nigerian Army in the year 1966 at Lagos and was trained to fight gallantly for the unity and preservation of our dear country (Nigeria)" in a war that "lasted from July 1967 to January 1970.

"While in the Nigerian Army, Papa was privileged to serve in many military formations under different commanders, some of whom were military governors or administrators as at then. These included Col. David Bamgboye from 28th May, 1967 – July 1975, Col. Ibrahim Taiwo from July 1975 – 13th February 1976, Col. Sunday Ifere from July 1978 – October 1979 and Col. Ahmed Abdullahi from December 1987 – July 1988. Papa was promoted to the rank of SERGEANT in 1982, a position he held until when he was sent to attend a retirement course at Oshodi in 1990 and finally retired in 1991."

The late Sgt. Tonlagha, a polygamist, got married to three wives. In his biography, his marital life is described as a bond that fosters unity as he and his wives "lived together under the same roof" which "made a great bonding and understanding among the wives such that one could hardly know whose child belongs to the other wife/mother. It is to his glory that 28 years after his passage, the children and their mothers have maintained this culture of oneness and unity and have preserved his glorious heritage. The mothers behave as though they are twins/triplets!

"Papa was a great family man. He loved his wives and children so much that he would normally set aside his Friday and Saturday nights for his children. He typically plays music for them to dance. Thereafter, he would tell them stories of his parrot hunting and fishing, his extensive travels and share some of the civil war experiences. These were great moments that brought him and the family closely together in love and unity, under the fear of God."

The late Sgt. Tonlagha, a earlier mentioned, was a "very kind-hearted and hospitable person" that "loved entertaining visitors, especially those from the defunct Bendel State, now Edo and Delta States. Because of his hospitality, he was among the first at that time to buy a gas cooker, as he wouldn’t like to keep his guests to wait for long before being served with food." Such was his hospitality, one that extends to community service.

For instance, it was documented that "While in the Nigerian Army, he relentlessly supported his maternal uncle, Pa Gbaminido, in his struggle for recognition of Egwa 1 Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) as host in their area of operation. As a devoted comrade of the struggle he sued for justice for the oppressed people of Gbaramatu Kingdom. It is an irrefutable fact to this day, that our father, late Pa Oweiyegha Rowland Imoun Tonlagha, remains an indispensable figure in the Egwa 1 struggle and an illustrious son and leader of the Egwa 1 family of Gbaramatu Kingdom of Warri South -West Local Government Area of Delta State," as stated in his biography.

His interest for community development spurs his being "instrumental in installing democratic governance structure in Benikrukru Community with his fearless and benevolent nature" as his penchant for justice, fairness and equity made him to fight "injustice anywhere in the community" and that "It is on record that he did not tolerate his cousin late Pa John Ogio Okirika, whose Chairmanship of Benikrukru Community had long lapsed, but refused to vacate the position. He ensured that Pa Ogio Okirika was removed," an act that paved the way for him "to act in that position for one (1) week, before a new Chairman was successfully installed without further tensions in the Community."

The late Sgt. Tonlagha was also "played a critical role in the creation of Warri North Local Government Area in 1991 under the military administration of General Ibraham Babangida when Delta state was formed from the former Bendel State with his military influence and connection."

Recognising the prominent roles of their late Father and Hero, the children, in their collective tribute wrote, "Today, we are here gathered to give honor to a man who served his country fearlessly, selflessly, sacrificially, and brought alluring prizes to his community and the Ijaw nation. We are most grateful to God, our Creator, for giving us our father and patriarch, late Sergeant Rowland Oweiyegha Tonlagha. He will be forever remembered for his toil and sweat, foremost sailor of his time, the enigmatic and brave soldier, the Army Sergeant, and the illustrious Community Leader in Gbaramatu Kingdom. He is fondly remembered by his three wives, 19 children, 61 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Adieu SEIDINKORO! May your gentle soul continues to rest in the Bosom of our Lord. Amen!"

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