CELEBRATION OF AN IMPACTFUL LIFE: Grief & Gratitude as Barrister Sotonye Ineinyengi-Etomi, Esq. is Laid to Rest

The interior and exterior ambience of the St. Peter’s Cathedral Church in Okrika, Rivers State, was a bittersweet pageant of mourning and celebration as family, friends, well-wishers and associates of the late Barrister Sotonye Ineinyengi-Etomi, Esq. gathered to pay their respects at his final obsequies.

Not surprisingly – given the late barrister’s vast range of professional activities, as well as his accomplishments beyond the legal profession, his social influence and extensive network of friendships and associations – the final obsequies were graced by a cross-section of leading lights from various walks of life. Her Excellency, the wife of the Governor of Edo State, Mrs Betsy Obaseki, represented her husband at the occasion; while the Rivers State Governor, HE Siminalayi Fubara was represented by the state’s Deputy-Governor, Her Excellency, Prof. Ngozi Odu. Other notable guests included HE, Chief Celestine Omehia, a former Governor of Rivers State; the Rt. Hon. Dr Austin Opara, a former Deputy-Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives; and a former federal minister, Sen. Bennett Birabi. Others included Sen. John Mbata; Sen. George Sekibo; Sen. Lee Maeba; former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Hon. Henry Odein Ajumogobia; and a former Managing Director of the NNPC, Chief Timi Alaibe.

Three former Presidents of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief OCJ Okocha, SAN, Okey Wali, SAN and Olumide Akpata were among the senior lawyers who also graced the event. Others included Eberechi Adele, SAN; MVR Ikuru-Urombo, SAN; Dr. Theo Osanakpo, SAN; and Eddy Mark, a Life Bencher

The traditional institution was not left out, as a large number of royal fathers also made their presence felt at Barrister Ineinyengi-Etomi’s funeral. They included King Disrael Bobmanuel, the
Amayanabo of Abonnema; King Ateke Michael Tom,
Amayanabo of Okochiri; and the Amayanabo of Ele, HRH King Micah Henry, among others.

Prior to this funeral service, there was a Commendation Service for the deceased at Christ Church in Port Harcourt, which
climaxed a week or so of programmes organized to give the late barrister a befitting send-off.
Recall that the rites for the departed legal luminary included a Service of Songs on Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at Christ Church in Old GRA, Port Harcourt (which was a beloved spiritual home for the deceased for many years) followed the next day (Thursday, February 1) by an Evening of Hymns and Praise at the same venue. After the interment ceremonies in Okrika, the church would later host the Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, February 4, which drew the curtain on the obsequies for the illustrious legal titan.

NEWSWIRE Law & Events Magazine learned that the proceedings at the funeral service at Okrika, which included orations from those who knew him best, were a befitting tribute to a remarkable life which began, auspiciously enough, on Christmas Day in 1957. Sotonye Christian Ineinyengi-Etomi was born part of a set of triplets (one of whom, sadly, didn’t survive the birth). He and his twin sister, Alali, were rightly treated as divine gifts, indeed a miracle, to their parents. His biological father, Ashley, who was the brother to Mrs. Jane Bapakaye Etomi, died when Sotonye and his sister were only six months old, upon which the infants were promptly absorbed into the Etomi household. The Etomis were the only family he and his sister ever knew, growing up. His widowed mother, Stella, eventually stayed with her sister-in-law, Mrs. Jane Etomi, under whose guardianship she later met and married Mr. Jackson Orubo (later Pa Orubo) with whom she had six other children. The old matriarch lives on, at 87 today.

Sotonye’s formative years were shaped by the nature of his upbringing in Okrika, as well as by the atmosphere of love that enveloped him and his siblings in the Etomi household. Along with his siblings – Queen, Mike, George, Sam, Emmanuel and his twin sister Alali, as well as the siblings that came in later years (Tekena, Inumama, Boma, Joan, Tambi and Owupele) – he also grew up under the guidance of his grandparents, a distinguished Okrika couple who influenced him profoundly with their piety and love of knowledge, and formed the impetus for his life of faith and deep spirituality. His grandfather, Pa Inyeinengi Daka was a visionary who lived well ahead of his time. The first choirmaster at the St. Peters Church (now Cathedral) in Okrika and its organist for decades, he could write in shorthand and was proficient in typing. A scholar of some repute, he was the pioneer author of the famous adult literacy book called ‘The Okrika Primer’ which was a potent tool for the education and enlightenment of the citizenry of that locality In addition to this, he translated ‘The Book of Common Prayer’ (popularly referred to as “Teke Na Nime Na”) into the Okrika dialect. However, what would’ve been his magnum opus – the translation of the ENTIRE Bible into the Okrika language – was interrupted by the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War. He eventually passed on before he could complete this ambitious work.

It was against this background of their grandfather’s influence that Sotonye and his siblings also became choristers and developed a close relationship with God and the Church. Sotonye’s early years were an exquisite mixture of religious devotion and a healthy enthusiasm for secular activities, from the serenity of swimming to the thrill of trap fishing, as well as the camaraderie of ball sports such as football and tennis. He kept a lifelong bond with his kindred and community, Okrika – a bond cemented even during his professional life by his membership of the Okrika-Born Lawyers Association.

Along with his siblings, Sotonye’s fortunes during the war were profoundly affected by their location in the riverine areas of the Biafran enclave during the conflict. To navigate this challenging environment, Sotonye and his siblings had to resort to many measures just to ensure survival. As the war raged on, Port Harcourt (and later Okrika) fell to Federal troops. Sotonye’s family’s ordeal during this trying period was a testament to the shared resilience of the family and would teach each sibling, going forward, that regardless of the circumstances (and especially in times of adversity) they could count on one another for strength and support.

Sotonye’s educational journey spanned the towns of Okrika, Benin, Port Harcourt, Oshogbo and Lagos, as he attended Okrika Boys School and Victory Private School, Benin City for his primary education, after which he completed his secondary education at the Ife-Oluwa Grammar School in Oshogbo. Thereafter, he attended the School of Basic Studies, College of Science and Technology (now University of Science and Technology) in Port Harcourt for his IJMB (Advanced Level) Certificate. The University of Lagos was the arena for his higher educational pursuits. In 1982, he earned a B.A. (Hons) in History. On the advice of his brother George, he obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1986 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. Post-call, he developed a bias for commercial law practice as well as arbitration and mediation, which he cemented with his membership of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators and the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators. He also ventured into the maritime domain, securing a post- graduate Executive Certificate in Maritime Law and Port Operations from the University of Southampton in the UK in 2004. His quest for further knowledge also saw him enroll at the Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in Boston, USA, where he obtained an Executive Certificate in Infrastructure Development and Management, Public Private Partnerships, and Regulation (Government Policy). From the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye in Ogun State, he attained a Master of Sciences in (M.Sc) degree in Transportation.

Armed with a wealth of experience spanning over 27 years, he was able to navigate both the public and private sectors in the course of his professional life with remarkable dexterity. Furthermore, his tenure as a lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU) during this period was a testament to his lifelong commitment to education.

Soon after his call to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, he joined his brother, George Etomi in the prestigious halls of the George Etomi and Partners (GEP) law firm where he eventually rose to the role of Partner, and played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Port Harcourt branch of the Firm, where he served as Managing Partner. In the course of his stewardship, his his legal and professional skills found expression in the operations of the Firm, and he began to carve a niche for himself with his role in the negotiation of landmark commercial transactions. His invaluable contributions to the Firm played a pivotal role in establishing GEP as one of the most successful commercial law practices in Nigeria.

The late Sotonye was an integral part of the larger Nigerian legal community, especially from his perch in the Garden City; an active member of the Port Harcourt branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), as well as of the 1988 graduating class of the Nigerian Law School, he forged close bonds with learned colleagues as they made their respective ways in life and in their profession. He was particularly active as a member of the NBA’s Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL), which he served as the pioneer chairman of the Committee on Rail and Road Transport. Under his leadership, the committee held multiple knowledge-sharing sessions to analyze emerging trends within the transportation sector, and his commitment to the growth of the sector could be further seen in his membership of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria.

Sotonye Ineinyengi-Etomi took a sabbatical from GEP to take up the role of Special Assistant to the then federal Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Samuel Precious Sekibo – in which position he played a pivotal role in the work of various economic reform committees, contributing to the Expression of Interest on Ports Concession, and chairing the Finance and other Related Matters sub- Committees on Port Reform. His virtuosity in the performance of his duties extended to the drafting of the Cabotage Guidelines & Regulations as chairman of the Ministerial Committee overseeing that effort.

Before re-joining GEP, he also served with distinction at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), where his stewardship saw him hold various key positions, including General Manager in charge of the following respective sections: Special Duties; Eastern Ports;
Corporate & Strategic Planning; and Port Reforms. He was also an Acting Executive Director of Marine and Operations and the Regional Coordinator of Eastern Ports. He also found use for his legal expertise while at the NPA, assuming the role of General Manager in charge of Legal Services, and Company Secretary.

No less remarkable was his walk in faith. Rooted in the innocence of a childhood nurtured in the fear of God, Sotonye’s Christian faith remained his unwavering compass.
In his adult years, he he lived up to his middle name, (Christian) to the fullest, as seen in his devotion to the Lord’s vineyard – and in particular his role as a Deacon at Christ Church. In addition to this role, he served as the President of the Men’s League Fellowship Group, and the Programme Coordinator of the Annual Lecture Planning Committee of the Men’s League. He also prepared the Church’s 22-page Procurement Regulation Policy Manual – which the Church still abides by to this day, as it has been responsible for blocking white elephant projects and leakages in its procurement processes. Needless to say, he leaves behind a grateful Church community, thanks to his exemplary service.

The playgrounds of Okrika were the happy hunting grounds for Sotonye’s zeal for sports. Each game he partook in was a parable of exuberance and camaraderie with others. In his later years, he was a recreational squash and badminton enthusiast; his exceptional skills in badminton, in particular, saw him chosen to represent the University of Lagos at various badminton competitions in his heyday.

This rich, full life was enriched by the family tapestry of Sotonye’s life, which was woven with threads of love for, and unity with, his loved ones. He maintained an extremely close relationship with his siblings, a relationship grounded on the unquestionable assurance that each could rely on the others to face any challenge and would be present in times of celebrations – whether of great victories or of small mercies. He was a loving husband to Elo (whom he fondly called “Favour”) and a proud father to 4 lovely children – Tamunotonye, Tamunotoku, Tamunotari, and Tamunotekena – and two grandchildren, Jared and Jayden. His dedication to his family spoke of a love that transcended earthly bounds and was held up as an example to many other families and would-be couples.

As Sotonye Inyeinengi-Etomi transcends the veil of immortality, his legacy remains etched in the annals of his legal brilliance, his zest for life, his emotional intelligence quotient, and his spiritual devotion – a multilayered tapestry indeed. As a family man, a loving sibling, a father and grandfather, his legacy and impact on this life of the divide stretches into the very fabric of his personal connections and the tapestry of family bonds. The chapters of his life unfold with richness and depth, revealing a man whose influence will be felt for years to come – as attendees at the funeral ceremonies were only too quick to testify, as the proceedings drew the curtains on a long day of tributes to a remarkable life.