By Blessing Bliss Chukwuma
The Final Home Going Rites of Professor Emeritus Nimisoere Dimkpa Tobin Briggs was held at his hometown Abonnema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, Rivers State yesterday the 20th of may 2023.
Interment Service in his Honour was held at the St. Paul’s Nyemoni Lutheran Church Abonnema, Rivers State.
Nimisoere Dimkpa Tobin Briggs was born on February 22, 1944, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. His father Bishop Dimkpa Tobin Briggs was the fifth son of Da Tobin Dakeitolumari Briggs and his mother, Madam Esther Victor Telema Harry was the third daughter of Pa William Young Briggs.
Nimi Dimkpa Briggs’ education/academic career was a remarkable string of distinctions and honors. It teed off at Nyemoni School, Abonnema, in 1949. He rounded off his primary education with a “distinction” in the Eastern Nigeria First School Leaving Certificate in 1956.
Following his primary education, Nimi Briggs passed the entrance examinations into various Secondary Schools but opted to attend Baptist High School, Port Harcourt. Nimi gained admission into the prestigious Government College, Umuahia, Abia State, on a fully funded scholarship.
Nimi Briggs was admitted again with another fully funded scholarships, by both the Universities of Lagos and Ibadan to study Medicine but he chose to study at the University of Lagos.In June 1969, he graduated from the University of Lagos, with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery.
Amongst accolades he earned were, a distinction in Obstetrics and Gynecology, overall best in final MB, BS examination in Surgery, and was given the gold medal prize as the best student in Pediatrics.
Some academic achievements which closely followed Nimi’s graduation from the University of Lagos were: His membership attainment in the following bodies: the Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates in United States of America (ECFMG-USA) in September 1970 and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, London (MRCOG) in December 1974.
He was also admitted as a Fellow to the following bodies: the Nigeria Medical Council of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FMCOG) in March 1978, the West African College of Surgeons (FWACS) in September 1979 and the International College of Surgeons (FICS) in January 1981 and in 2021 became a foundation Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Medicine.
He attained a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Lagos in January 1983 and in June of 1988 was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, London (FRCOG) In 2004, Nimi was made a Fellow of the Nigeria Academy of Science (FAS).
Nimi Dimkpa Briggs had a long career which spanned over five decades during which he undertook spanning membership of professional bodies to chairing of these bodies. His first working experience was in Preregistration House jobs at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) under Professors H. O. Thomas, U. Lister and G. L. Monekosso from July1969 – June 1970.
From there he was deployed as a Medical Officer to the Nigerian Army in the Nigerian Civil War where he served under the then Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo. After the war, he returned to LUTH and was made a Senior House Officer under Professors E. Ade Elebute, P. Omodare and O. Akinla from June 1970 – July 1972.
Nimi then proceeded to the United Kingdom, where he studied as a Commonwealth Scholar from August 1972 – September 1975 and subsequently held various posts at the Chester Maternity and Women’s Hospitals, Birmingham Maternity and Women’s Hospital and the West Bromwich Women’s Hospital.
On the 10th of july , 2000, Professor Nimi Briggs was appointed Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt prior to which he had served as Acting Vice Chancellor on two occasions, between January 1995 and March 1996 and from January 2000 through July 2000.Prior to his role as Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, he held other numerous posts in the university.
These events were attended by Captains of Industry, the Academia and top government Functionaries.
May his gentle soul rest in peace. Amen.
