Bernard Montgomery’s definition of leadership as the “capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence” succinctly captures all what the Head of Reintegration in the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Mr. Alfred Kemepado Nimizigha epitomizes.
He has over the years proved himself to be one of the most remarkable, promising youth leaders of the oil-rich Niger Delta, showing relentless patriotism to the land of his forefathers, faithfully serving his principal and Interim Administrator of PAP, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd) while touching as many lives that he can via his current position.
Kemepado attended Community Primary School in his hometown, Odoni, Sagbama Local Government Area, Bayelsa State; and had his secondary education in Bereton College, Port Harcourt, one of the finest at the time and now. He currently holds a B.Sc in the University of Calabar, a PGD in Russian Presidential Academy, Moscow, and a Master’s degree from the University of Manchester, UK.
Like many others, he had a humble beginning, but his call to service and leadership journey started when he was employed as a Senior Administrative Officer in the Bayelsa State Local Government Service Commission.
Like a golden fish that has no hiding place, Kemepado was quickly discovered as a youth with great leadership potentials and appointed as Special Assistant by the then Bayelsa State Commissioner for Ijaw Affairs, Dr. Felix Tuodolo.
His diligent service elevated him to be appointed Senior Special Assistant to the Bayelsa State Governor on Special Duties, Senior Special Assistant Public Affairs to Governor of Bayelsa State, Coordinator of Bayelsa State Government Media Advocacy Team and Special Adviser Governor’s Office, Yenagoa.
Kemepado’s love for the Ijaw nation and by extension the Niger Delta is known to many persons who have been following the region’s youth leadership space since 2017 when he was elected the Financial Secretary of the foremost Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide and later its Secretary General.
Love for the region is not the only strength of Kemepado. He is courageous, diligent and smart, loyal and consistent, solution-driven, humble and truthful and profoundly affable. These and other qualities have set him apart from his peers.
It is therefore not surprising that in a short space of time Kemepado has risen speedily in the rung of the leadership ladder in the region, including becoming Bayelsa State’s Representative to the National Gas Expansion Programme and Director General, Bayelsa State Centre for Youth Development.
He served admirably and became one of the leading lights of the self-styled Restoration Government; making him a much sort after persona to fill up leadership roles in the state and beyond.
Interestingly, the Amnesty boss, Col. Dikio, upon seeing how Kemepado is undertaking his duties conscientiously, appointed him as his Special Assistant on Special Duties in 2020. Later that same year he was laudably promoted to be the Head of Reintegration of the Amnesty Programme: a position he has held till date.
Kemepado has made sure the Post-Training & Empowerment (PTE) Unit under the Reintegration Department of the Amnesty Office is working optimally. This allows for the exploration of different pilot schemes in entrepreneurship and wealth creation as the end point of the programme.
He is always quick to note that under Dikio, PAP has devised innovative ways in which almost all ex-agitators have been incorporated and recaptured back into the programme, empowering them to create wealth and be self-reliant which is the ultimate goal of the programme.
Today, allowances and monthly stipends due ex-agitators are paid which before now was not the case and Kemepado is proud to be part of the history being created by his boss, Dikio.
Through the Amnesty Programme, Kemepado has facilitated countless scholarship awards for many Niger Deltans to various schools both at home and in the diaspora, demonstrating an immense level of leadership and patriotism.
Attesting to Kemepado’s great impact, a notable youth leader from Rivers State, Comr. Sokari Goodboy Sokari, in a birthday message released in January, described Kemepado as an intelligent and focused servant leader cum precious gift to the Ijaw Nation whose life has been all about service.
According to him, Kemepado “has ensured that the directives of the I.A (Col. Dikio) are followed to the letter to ensure that the Amnesty Office lives up to expectation
On his part, Diplomat Adam Ogomugo Marbo, Chairman (IYC) Abuja Chapter said Kemepado “has demonstrated a commitment to human capacity development in our clime, and we are grateful for all his efforts.
He further said “Alfred Kemepado has tried his best. But I know in society some people will criticize because when they don’t get a certain thing or expectation from the person they antagonize.”
The Treasurer, IYC Central Zone, Douyi Tonworimi Duere, described Kemepado as a trailblazer and vital asset to Ijaw nation, pointing out that he has “constantly put the Ijaw youths in a positive light through the pureness of his character and leadership style.
“His contributions to the overall growth, development, and empowerment of Niger Delta youths through his present position as the Head of Reintegration at the Presidential Amnesty Program is worthy of commendation.”
Duere admitted that Kemepado, with his kind words and calm disposition, is always ready to listen and give the needed admonition and direction when the need arises.
According to a Yenagoa-based media practitioner, Bethsheba Napoleon, Kemepado is not only swift in discovering potentials, when he does, he goes all out to help them shine more.
“He does lots of philanthropic gestures to people, even those he hasn’t met in person, most of them by proxy. These philanthropic works are done mostly out of the eye of the public, because he doesn’t do that to impress anyone, but it’s just his personality,” she said.
The former President of the National Union Of Sagbama Local Government Student (NUSS) Worldwide, Kelly Bruce averred that “Kemepado is a pinnacle of great hope who has shown untiring passion, drive, and commitment in all of his roles in life including his current assignment as Head of Reintegration where he has almost redefined the role much to the delight of his Boss, Col. Dikio.”
Bruce was right. Kemepado is inarguably a pinnacle of great hope who has shown untiring passion, drive, and commitment in all of his roles in life, including his current assignment as Head of Reintegration where he has almost redefined the role to the delight of his Boss, Col. Dikio.
However, Kemepado would not have had the chance to work in the Amnesty Office and make so much impact if he had not been spotted and given the chance to serve by Col. Dikio. Good leaders are known for identifying and helping budding leaders to maximize their innate potentials and that is what the Amnesty boss has done, and still doing, with Kemepado.
Col. Dikio has been able to gather some of the best brains—as epitomized by Kemepado—in the Niger Delta to work with him, largely leading to the huge success the programme has recorded under his able watch.
With the leadership of Col. Dikio, being assisted by Alfred Kemepado and indeed other great persons in the saddle, the Presidential Amnesty Programme is in safe hands, like never before.
Tariebi Micah, a staff reporter with Mangrovepen.ng, writes from Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
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