Prof. E.J. Alagoa.

Board of Trustees

Born on April 14, 1933, in Nembe, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, Prof Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa is the son of Joseph Ayibatonye, a chief, and Jane Furombogha (Obasi) Alagoa. On September 26, 1961, he entered into marriage with Mercy Gboribusuote Nyananyo, and they have a son named David Ayibatonye.

Alagoa’s educational journey includes attendance at University College in Ibadan, Nigeria, and later earning a B.A. (with honors) from the University of London in 1959. In 1960, he received a certificate in archives administration from the American University, and in 1965, he obtained a certificate in African studies and a Ph.D. in 1966 from the University of Wisconsin.

Throughout his career, Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa has actively engaged with various academic and professional organizations. He is a member of the Historical Society of Nigeria, where he served as president from 1981 to 1983 and again from 1991 to 1994. Additionally, he is a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters and has been involved with the Nigerian Association for Oral History and Tradition, serving as its president from 1985 to 1994. Alagoa is also affiliated with the American Anthropological Association, the Knights of St. Christopher, and the Nigerian Field Society.

Notably, Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa has made significant contributions to the field of history through his authored works. Some of his acclaimed books include “The Small Brave City-State: A History of Nembe-Brass in the Niger Delta,” “A History of the Niger Delta: An Historical Interpretation of Ijo Oral Tradition,” “The Python’s Eye: The Past in the Living Present,” and “People of the Fish and Eagle: A History of Okpoama in the Eastern Niger Delta.”