THE LIFE AND TIMES OF PA FRESH JOHNNY DUDAFA

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF PA FRESH JOHNNY DUDAFA
BY


OKPOITARI DIONGOLI


It is exactly twenty years today when the lights went out for Pa Fresh Johnny Dudafa. Pa Dudafa, one of the leading lights of his generation, came, saw and conquered the challenges of life leaving in its trail sweet memories of a great father, disciplinarian, businessman, community leader, Nationalist and a peace-maker. He was born in 1919 at Ayibabiri town Kolokuma in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area to Mr. and Mrs Dudafa Ligha.

He had his Primary education at the prestigious Proctor Memorial Primary School, Kaiama and at the age of eighteen the young Johnny Dudafa set out of the shores of Ayibabiri in search of greener pastures. His first port of call was Lagos and later Gold Coast now Ghana where he came face to face with the harsh realities of life. As a man of courage and determination, he quickly adjusted and started life as a house-keeper and rose through the ranks to become a cook and later Steward in the service of the then Colonial Administration.

The situation did not deter him neither did it blur his sense of vision and mission to attain greatness in life. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Chief Fresh Dudafa enlisted with the West African Frontier Force and was deployed to fight for the allied forces. Chief Fresh Johnny Dudafa’s military exploits took him to several countries in the West, East and Southern parts of Africa, Europe and Asia. At the end of the war, he went to South Africa where he was eventually discharged from the military and was honored and decorated with several medals. While in South Africa, Chief Dudafa was trained in Blacksmithing and later in Mechanical Engineering and acquired a Diploma in Anatomy.

In 1947 he returned to Nigeria and worked briefly at the specialist hospital in Choba, Port-Harcourt. By reason of his exposure and experience, he was appointed Chief to the Native and later Customary court at Oloibiri in 1956 by the colonial administration until the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil war in 1966. By 1967 he was engaged in the services of the Shell British Petroleum as a security Chief. In 1976 Chief Fresh Johnny Dudafa was employed in Metalloplastica in Port-Harcourt as a site Controller and later Personnel Manager a position he held until retirement in 1984 to Ayibabiri where he settled as a trader until his passing away on October, 11, 1989. Pa Dudafa also had a rich political career as he was a front line member of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroon (NCNC).

Similarly, by 1978 when the military commenced the process to return the country to Democratic Governance, Pa Dudafa again played a vital role in the formation of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) which eventually won the elections in 1979. He laid a solid educational foundation for his children to STAND tall wherever they find themselves. The seed of discipline and industry Pa Dudafa instilled in his children has marked the Dudafas out in virtually all fields of human endeavors.

His children have collectively carried the barner of the Dudafa dynasty with dignity; excelling in their various fields and contributing to the Bayelsa state as well as to national development. For the late quintessential Pa Fresh Johnny Dudafa, a grand remembrance event has been planned to take place in the state. Friends and well wishers are enjoined to use the opportunity to reflect on the good, hardworking and patriotic legacies of Pa DUDAFA.

Source FRCN.Recorded live from the daily commentaries.