Afiesimama - Fubara Compound

The Afiesimama - Fubara Compound or 'Polo' in the vernacular, was founded by Chief Abednego Tamunofiesimama Fubara (pictured bust) who donated a sizeable chunk of the land on which St. James' Church, Vicarage and School now stand.

His first son, Reverend Simon Itelima Afiesimama became the first ordained minister of the Wakirike (Okrika) people - a sub-division of the Ijo (Ijaw) tribe of Rivers State in southern Nigeria.
Reverend Simon Itelima Afiesimama was also the vicar at St. Cyprian's Anglican Church in Port Harcourt between 1941-1942 . His pastoral work took him all over eastern and southern Nigeria. He was a quiet and unpretentious man. Reverend Afiesimama was posthumously recognised for his services to this church during the war years, on the 2nd of October 2016, as part of their centenary celebrations.

Some of their descendants include Mr Valentine Dabipi Afiesimama - one of Rivers State's and indeed Nigeria's earliest Land Surveyors; Dr Samuel Benedict Sodienye Afiesimama, Ogoloma's first Medical Doctor and also first Director of Health Services at the University of Port Harcourt. Dr Afiesimama has also been involved in public health matters in Chicago, USA, Heidelberg, Germany and London, England, UK. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria. Dr Boma Thomson Afiesimama an Engineer, Pastor and University lecturer based in Texas, USA.
Also, the Director of Administration in the Secretary to the Rivers State Government's office, Barrister (Sir) Augustus Fubara, his brother, Mr Tekena Fubara, who was the pioneer Executive Vice-Chairman of Linkage Assurance Nigeria PLC and also former Deputy General Manger, Human Resources Division, Allstates Trust Bank PLC; and internationally renowned Meteorologist Dr Ernest Afiesimama, also Nigeria's first TV weatherman. He currently works for the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva and was a senior associate scientist of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (Physics of Weather and Climate Group), Trieste, Italy from 2002 to 2014.

Some others are Comrade Sokari Afiesimama, a Social Consultant to the Federal Government of Nigeria; Mr Sotonye Afiesimama, a publishing and digital media consultant with the Rivers State and Federal Government of Nigeria as well as private individuals like renowned Emeritus Professor of History, Professor E.J. Alagoa. He was also a one-time blogger, and visual artist (some of his paintings are in private collections in Nigeria, the UK and Spain); his artwork was featured in a publication to celebrate 50 years of the United Nations in 1995.
His brother, Mr Deinma Afiesimama, a published author, sports consultant and one-time fifth-fastest hurdler in Africa; and sister, straight A student, Mrs Kaine Diete-Spiff (MD) and respected physician whose worked at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Nigeria and currently at Shell; interestingly, she is married into the family of the first Governor of Rivers State, King (Captain) Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff, currently Amanyanabo (King) of Twon, Brass; Captain Boma Oribi Afiesimama (MD), a graduate of the prestigious West Point Academy (United States Military); his sister Major Ruth Afiesimama who graduated from the Air Force Academy with a B.S. in Legal Studies, and received a Masters degree in Human Relations from the Univ. of Oklahoma. She currently works at the Pentagon's Air Force Management Military Policy Division. Last but not least; beauty queen turned entrepreneur, Belema Julius Afiesimama, representing Nigeria during the Miss Supranational Pageant in 2011 which took place in Poland.