Respiratory Physician | Administrator | Knight of St. Christopher
Sir Patrick Ebitari Tekenah was a distinguished physician, administrator, and devout Christian whose life embodied resilience, service, and faith. From his humble beginnings in Nembe to his rise as a pioneering pulmonologist and Permanent Secretary, he left an indelible mark on healthcare, governance, and community development in Rivers and Bayelsa States.
Early Life and Parentage
Born on May 16, 1948, in Nembe, Patrick was the first child of Joseph Ikpo‑Douglas, an accountant with the Nigerian Railways, and Madam Serena Edah (Tekenah), a prison warden from Nembe and Okpoama. Raised partly by his grandmother and later his uncle in Cameroon, his surname was changed to Tekenah, reflecting his maternal lineage and benefactors.
Education and Medical Training
Patrick’s education spanned Nigeria and Cameroon:
- St. Luke’s School, Nembe (1954–1957)
- St. Mary’s School, Likumba, Cameroon
- Yaba Model School, Lagos (1958–1961)
He excelled at CMS Grammar School, Lagos (1962–1968), earning Division I in WASC and HSC. He studied medicine at the University of Lagos (1969–1974), graduating MBBS. In 1984, he specialized in respiratory medicine at the University of Wales, Cardiff, earning a Diploma in Tuberculosis and Chest Disease.
Medical Career
Patrick began as a House Officer, General Hospital Lagos (1974–1975), then served at University of Benin Teaching Hospital during NYSC. He worked with the Florence Nightingale Hospital Boat (1977), before joining the Rivers State Hospital Management Board (1978).
Between 1979–1985, he practiced in the UK at hospitals in Sheffield, Liverpool, Cardiff, Middlesbrough, and London. Returning home, he became Principal Medical Officer (1985–1989), later Chief Medical Officer, Chest Clinic Diobu (1990–1996), and Coordinator of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme in Rivers State.
Public Service and Administration
With the creation of Bayelsa State (1996), Patrick became Chief Medical Officer, Government House Clinic, Yenagoa, and Personal Physician to the first Military Administrators. In 1998, he was appointed Permanent Secretary, serving in multiple ministries:
- Health (1998–2001)
- Environment, Budget & Economic Planning (2001–2004)
- Commerce & Industry (2006–2007)
- Works & Transportation (2007–2008)
He retired in 2008, but continued serving as Commissioner (I), Bayelsa State Civil Service Commission (2012–2015).
Community Development
Patrick championed healthcare in his homeland, upgrading Okpoama Health Centre into a Cottage Hospital, providing water projects through UNICEF, and training mortuary attendants. His commitment to grassroots development reflected his belief that medicine and governance must serve the people.
Faith and Knighthood
A devout Anglican, Patrick was knighted in the Order of St. Christopher (2001) and served as President of the Council of Knights (2011–2014). He was deeply involved in church life — as elder, warden, treasurer, and patron of the Boys Brigade. His faith shaped his marriage, career, and service.
Family and Personal Life
Patrick married Dr. Victoria Tekenah (Ph.D) in 1977, herself a Permanent Secretary and scholar. Together they raised four children, building a family rooted in faith, education, and service.
Trials and Triumphs
In 1983, Patrick survived a devastating intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke in London, defying medical predictions of only five years to live. He endured for over three decades, a living testimony of divine grace.
Tragedy struck in 2011 when his beloved son, Ebitari, died suddenly in Sheffield at age 27. This loss deeply affected him and was believed to have hastened his own passing.
Last Moments and Death
On April 2, 2015, while conducting promotion interviews as Commissioner, Patrick collapsed and was pronounced dead at Diete Koki Memorial Hospital, Yenagoa, following cardiac arrest. He was laid to rest on May 2, 2015, at his “Beulah Land” residence in Okpoama. He was 67 years old.
Legacy
Sir Patrick Ebitari Tekenah’s legacy is one of healing, service, and faith. As a physician, he saved lives; as an administrator, he built institutions; as a Christian, he inspired devotion. His resilience in the face of illness and tragedy, his humility, and his dedication to community upliftment make him a model of leadership and humanity.
May his noble soul rest in eternal peace.
