KING G.N.K GININWA’S BIOGRAPHY
“The mark of a great king is not the length of his reign, but the lasting impact he leaves behind.” – Culled from the Death of Kings – a 9th Century, English historical fiction novel written by Bernard Cornwell.
This piece, is in celebration of the life and times of His Royal Majesty, Late King Godwin Ndonake Kenneth Gininwa, JP Amb. of Peace, OFR. DSSRS, Paramount Ruler of Korokoro Community, Tua Tua Tai District, Gbenemene Tai Kingdom VI, President, Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers of Ogoni and former Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers.
King Gininwa, as he is fondly called, was born on 19th September, 1939, to the royal family of Late Chief Samuel Aminikpo Gininwa and Late Mrs Alice Ndiigbo Samuel Aminikpo Gininwa, in Korokoro community, Tai Local Government Area, Rivers State. He was the first son of his father, Chief Samuel. Although, his father had other children ahead of Godwin, they were all female. It was Godwin’s mother, Alice, the third wife, who gave the Chief his first male child. However, Godwin’s birth was not without some intricacies. Late Mrs Alice Ndiigbo Gininwa took in at a very young age and was later told she could die from pregnancy-related complications, because she might not be able to push the baby during delivery.
This caused fear for the couple who visited a traditionalist in Kpite, a neighbouring community, to help in terminating the pregnancy. However, upon arrival, the diviner informed Chief Samuel that the child in the womb was a male child and would take on the mantle of leadership from him. The couple was advised to keep the pregnancy. Late Mrs Alice Ndiigbo Gininwa was successfully delivered of a baby boy. The mysterious circumstance surrounding his birth led to his father naming him ‘Godwin’, meaning ‘God had won the battle’. Kenneth was the baptismal name he got from the Anglican Communion where he was baptised and his father named him ‘Ndonake’ after his uncle, in accordance with the Tee custom of naming children after relatives, hence, the name ‘Godwin Ndonake Kenneth Gininwa’.
The young Godwin Ndonake Kenneth Gininwa began his formal education at St. Gabriel’s Anglican School, Kpite Tai in 1953 and got to standard five in 1958. The school in Kpite at the time did not have standard six, so he got admission to complete standard six in Botem, another neighboring community. As a brilliant child, he sat the common entrance examination which he passed. He was to study for his secondary education at the Birabi Memorial Grammar School (BMGS) Bori. His name was sent to Enugu, the then capital of Eastern Nigeria, for admission, and he could have been among the pioneer set of students to attend BMGS, that year, but fate had other plans.
Godwin Ndonake Kenneth Gininwa, had desired to become a Lawyer, but had a serious disagreement with his father who then refused to pay his fees to finish standard Six. If he had completed Standard Six, as it was then obtainable, it could have enabled him become a teacher or gain admission to college. Godwin was distraught at his father’s refusal to pay his school fees, and decided to leave his home in the company of friends to Tiko, Republic of Cameroon, in search of greener pastures, in 1958. While in the Republic of Cameroon, the young Godwin began working in a company owned by Mrs. Sarah Spiff, the mother of His Majesty, King Alfred Diette Spiff. He spent 2 years in the company and rose through the ranks to become its administrative secretary. Godwin was three years older than King Alfred Diette Spiff, but they maintained a good relationship until King Gininwa’s passing.
Late Chief Samuel Aminikpo Gininwa was a man who valued education. He had himself attended the St. Peter’s Anglican School, Akwete and Egberu, respectively, in the Ndoki Area, between 1912-1916, before completing Standard V in 1920. He had also risen through the civil service ranks to become a Police Constable at Egwenga (present-day Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State), and later became the President of the Tai Customary Court, at the defunct Maawoh, in Ogoni Division. Late Chief Samuel Aminikpo Gininwa, who had achieved so much as chronicled above, became uncomfortable with the level of the education of his first son and heir to the throne. This prompted him to pen down an apology to his son in Cameroon, and requesting him to return home, so that they would resolve their differences for young Godwin Ndonake Kenneth Gininwa to continue his education.
Upon his return from Cameroon, Godwin enrolled and completed his primary education, obtaining his First School Leaving Certificate in 1961, and thereafter retook the Common Entrance Examination and passed. He proceeded to the St. Pius X College, Bodo (present-day Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State) for his secondary school education. At this time, Godwin’s younger brother, Francis Gininwa, was also of age and expected to start school. The family did not have sufficient funds to cater for the education of both Godwin Gininwa and Francis Gininwa. To the utter amazement and displeasure of his father, young Godwin Gininwa opted to sacrifice the opportunity he already had to further his education, to pave the way for the education of his younger brother, Francis Gininwa. As a result of his decision to have his younger brother educated, Godwin and his father got into another heated argument. King G.N.K Gininwa recalling this incident said he told his father, “I know I will be prosperous in life. Let my brother finish his school.”
Thereafter Godwin began understudying his father as chief and paramount ruler of Korokoro Tai, knowing he would someday inherit the throne.
In the early sixties, according to records, Shell-British Petroleum Development Company began drilling oil in Korokoro Tai and other Ogoni communities. Late Chief Samuel Gininwa was one of the landlords to Shell but was however away from home because of his responsibilities as a civil servant, leaving the young Godwin at home. Being young and vibrant, Godwin was able to communicate with Shell representatives, and began overseeing transactions between Shell and the community. He also represented his father whenever Shell had meetings with chiefs and traditional rulers. Consequently, young Godwin began receiving contracts from Shell. Although Godwin had been executing a few contracts, he was not recognized as a contractor. He then went on to register his company but was careful not to approach Shell directly because his father was still alive, and contracts went to landlords and not their sons. Young Giniwa was only actng in his father’s stead. Unfortunately, the Nigerian/Biafran Civil War broke out in 1967 and temporarily truncated his burgeoning business.
At the end of the civil war in 1970, Godwin took a bold step which later was to change the course of his life. Young Gininwa approached Shell and identified himself as the son of one of their landlords from a major oil producing community and a previous contractor who had successfully executed several contracts for the company with an already registered company. Shell had no choice than to make Godwin one of their contractors. This marked Godwin Gininwa’s journey into wealth. He could then effortlessly sponsor his younger brother’s education and supported other members of the family financially. Godwin went ahead to establish Gininwa and Sons Construction Company Limited and until his passing, he was the Chief Executive and Chairman of the company.
Godwin Gininwa did not forget give up on his ambition to further his education, even with his accumulation of wealth. He enrolled for the General Certificate Education (GCE) O’ and A’ levels respectively and passed each of the examinations at one sitting through private studies. He later secured admission to study Law, his life-long dream course, at the London School of Economics, University of London, United Kingdom, in 1983, through the help of his Lebanese friend, Mr. Azar, whom he met during his time as Chairman of Metalloplastic Nigeria Limited and official tour of France. However, he could not complete the university admission process, due to the overthrow of the civilian administration of Chief Melford Okilo, by the military in December 1983, and consequent paucity of funds.
Godwin Gininwa has always been known to value education and what he could not achieve for himself, he ensured the younger generation got. There are testimonies of numerous scholarships up to PhD level that the Godwin Gininwa sponsored for both indigenes and non indigenes of Ogoni.
In 1975, Chief Samuel Gininwa thought it wise to step down and allow his son, Godwin Ndonake Kenneth Gininwa, to take his place as the Paramount Ruler of Korokoro Tai. Godwin Gininwa had shown doggedness, hard work, was successful in business and now ready to take over as Paramount Ruler of Korokoro Tai. Thus, In 1976, Godwin Ndonake Kenneth Gininwa was meritoriously installed as the Paramount Ruler of Korokoro Tai. In the same year, he was elected the President of Tua-Tua Divisional Council of Chiefs and Elders.
Upon his accession to the throne, King G.N.K Gininwa showed exceptional leadership qualities which immediately drew positive attention from Rivers State and across the Niger Delta. From 1975-1977, he served as Vice Chairman of Tai District Council. By 1978, he was elected the Gbenemene Tua-Tua Tai and recognised by the Rivers State Government as a Second-Class Chief. King Gininwa’s leadership style was greatly admired by the then Governor of Old Rivers State, Late Chief Melford Okilo. King Gininwa reciprocated the Governor’s love and gave him his full support and the mandate of his people in the 1979 general elections. Indeed, the friendship between the duo was undeniable as the Governor approached him and asked that he served as Commissioner for Local Government. King G.N.K Gininwa politely turned down the offer as he felt it might lead to betraying the trust of his people. His stool was a revered one and he was not expected to venture into politics. King Giniwa was, however, appointed by Chief Melford Okilo as the Executive Chairman Metalloplastic Nigeria Limited. King Gininwa held this position from 1981 to 1983 when the General Muhammadu Buhari Military Government took over and sacked several leaders in government parastatals.
In 1978, King G.N.K Gininwa, became a member of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, and an ex-officio member of KAGOTE – the Apex socio-cultural group of the Ogoni people. King Gininwa was a lover of peace. Throughout his reign both as Paramount Ruler of Korokoro Tai and eventually as Gbenemene of Tai Kingdom, there was hardly an issue of social unrest in his domains. For this reason, he was selected as a member of the Ogoni/Andoni Peace Keeping Committee in 1993. In 1995, he was appointed Chairman Tai/Eleme/Oyigbo Peace Panel and Vice Chairman Tai/Eleme Police Public Relations Committee. He was also the Chairman Tai Divisional Police Community Relations Committee.
In 2004, King G.N.K Gininwa, was upgraded from Second-Class Chief, to a First-Class King - Gbenemene Tai Kingdom, by His Excellency Sir Dr. Peter Otunaya Odili, CON, KCSGG, GSSRS, KSJI, the then Executive Governor of Rivers State. They both enjoyed a cordial relationship until the passing of King G.N.K. Gininwa. In the same year, King G.N.K. Gininwa was elected the President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers. He was also appointed by Sir Dr Odili as member Rivers State Advisory Council headed by Former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte. In 2009, King Gininwa was appointed as member, Rivers State Elders Council by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Barr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, CON, the then Governor of Rivers State. King Gininwa worked closely with the Chairman of the Council, High Chief Dr. Victor Ifeanyi Odili, OON, the Onwa of Ndoniland.
Furthermore, His Royal Majesty, King Gininwa, was appointed the Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in 2012 by Governor Amaechi, and he served Rivers State in this capacity from 2012 to 2015. His Royal Majesty, King G.N.K Gininwa JP. Amb. Of Peace, OFR, DSSRS, was a respected member of the Traditional Rulers Council of Oil and Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria. He was also a member, South-South Traditional Rulers Council. King Gininwa continued to play a pivotal role in community development and was an advocate of environmental sustainability. This is reflected in the active role he played as one of the foremost figures in the forefront of ensuring the establishment of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) to clean up hydrocarbon pollution in Ogoniland.
His Royal Majesty, King G.N.K Gininwa, was appointed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to serve as a member of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/ Federal Government and Ogoni Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC). The main task of the PIC was to reconcile the Shell/JV Partners and the Ogoni people over issues relating to environmental justice and oil spill clean-up of Ogoniland. King Gininwa as a member of the PIC worked closely with Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. On the 14th of November 2011, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan conferred a meritorious National Award of the Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) on King Gininwa. In 2022, the then Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwon Wike, CON, POS Africa, GSSRS, conferred the meritorious State Award of Distinguished Service Star of Rivers State on King Gininwa.
King Gininwa had a strong relationship with other traditional families beyond Ogoniland and Rivers State. He was a father and mentor to His Royal Majesty, Ehizogie Eluojieror 1, JP, the Onogie of Igueben and Okaigun of Esanland, Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State. The Esan Royal Family has a long-existing relationship with the Gbene Gininwa Royal Dynasty. Similarly, The Akko Emirate Council has a close- knit relationship with King Gininwa through His Royal Majesty, Dr Umar Mohammed Atiku JP, the Emir of Akko Local Government area of Gombe State. King Gininwa also kept a close relationship with his bosom friend and colleague, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Jubril, CON , the Emir of Nasarawa, Nasarawa State. The contact was established when the Emir was Minister of Environment to oversees the affairs of the HYPREP in Ogoniland.
His Majesty, King Gininwa, was a lover of democracy, and this endeared him to our amiable Governor, His Excellency Sir, Amaopusenibo Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Executive Governor of Rivers State, who in recognition of the contributions and significant impact King G.N.K Gininwa in Rivers State, has graciously approved that a state burial ceremony be held to celebrate the passing of the King.
King Gininwa had a robust life and was patron to various social groups within and outside the State. In 1986, he was the Grand Patron of the Rivers State Students Union, University of Calabar; an Honorary Member of the Rotary Club, Bori, in 1992; Patron, Ogoni Students Union, Rivers State University; Grand Patron, Rivers State Youth Movement; Grand Patron, Ogoni Youth Federation, to mention but a few. This is a demonstration of King Gininwa’s love and support for educational pursuits. King Gininwa was also a lover of classical music and he was a Patron of the Choral Voices of Port Harcourt.
King G.N.K Gininwa was a successful family man and a devout Christian. The king was a dedicated Anglican. He was also a decorated Knight of St. Christopher (KSC) and Patron, Council of Knights of the Anglican Communion, Ogoni Diocese. King G.N.K Gininwa was married to 10 wives and had an abundance of children. He was able to co-ordinate his family in unity, bringing everyone together including extended family members. King G.N.K Gininwa comes from a Royal Dynasty that cuts across Ogoni into Khana, Gokana, and Tai Local Government Areas. King Gininwa worked closely with family members in the various LGAs who are also Kings and Community Heads. In his immediate family, the King maintained a peaceful home and ensured all his children were properly educated.
King Godwin Ndonake Kenneth Gininwa, JP Amb. of Peace OFR, DSSRS, lived a fulfilled life to a ripe old age. Even in old age, he was still active in his traditional activities. The King however, became briefly ill and passed on to glory on the 6th of October, 2022 at the ripe age of 83. King G.N.K Gininwa will be remembered as a foremost and dogged traditional ruler in the entire Ogoni kingdom. His mark of impact outlives him.
Until we meet to part no more, Teeh, kian leele!
