Chief Akunwata Patrick Nwabunwanne Amuta was born in 1932 and was an origin of Ogbolieke Village, in Onicha Ado, of Anambra State, Nigeria.
He was the second son of Late Chief Ogbuagu Gabriel Okeleke Onwualu Amuta, who was also from Isitor Oboko Family in Ogbolieke Village of Onicha North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
His mother being Enyi Nnoka Amuta, (Nne Obikwelu) was from the Obikwelu Family at Nteje in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria.
Chief Akunwata P.N Amuta attended Holy Trinity Primary School, at Onitsha where he, obtain his First School Leaving Certificate, and due to his brilliance, he was enrolled to further his academics in United Kingdom, where he studied RSA Short hand Commercial and Business Law in the 1950’s.
He was initially employed by Shell D’Arcy Owerri as a Company Secretary and later promoted to jointly head the Lands, and Legal Department with a non- Nigerian, and Mr. Francis Obiozo for Shell British Petroleum Company, now called Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited.
Late Chief (Akunwata) Patrick N Amuta, with a non- Nigerian and Mr Francis Obiozo pioneered the Lands and Legal Department of Shell BP in the 1950’s.
Due to his outstanding performance and stewardship to the Shell British Petroleum, he was promoted to the position of a Senior Lands man.
Akunwata Patrick N Amuta, acquired several oil locations for Shell British Petroleum Company before the occurrence of the Nigerian Civil war in 1967.
At the time, under his responsibility were the Eastern Zone and the Mid-Western Zone (now Niger Delta).
Below are some of the list, of some of the 36 locations he acquired for Shell British Petroleum Company during the time he was working for the corporate establishment:
- Obigbo Location;
- Iriebe Location;
- Afam Location;
- Imo East Location;
- Eruemuko Kwariem, Iyele Location;
- Bonny Location;
- Bormu Location;
- Ooli Location
- Opukuma Eastern and Western Location in Eastern Region;
- Tabaa Location in Ogoni North;
- Current Shell Industrial Area, Portharcourt;
- Current Shell Residential Area Portharcourt;
- Shell Bonny Terminal;
- Shell Benneth Highland, Portharcourt;
- Shell Olomoro flow station and associated well heads;
- Shell Ogoni Flow station and associated well heads, now sold to Seplat;
- Shell Afiesere and associated well heads, now sold to Seplat;
- Shell Oweh Flow station and associated well heads;
- Shell Uzere Flow station and associated well heads;
- Forcado Terminal;
- Oguta West and East locations;
- Agbada 1 Flow station;
- Obelle flowstation;
- Imo River Flow station; and more.
During the years of his outstanding service to Shell British Petroleum, he worked with the Late Justice Oputa in the acquisition of the Oguta West and East Location. A story he always told one of his last son, Christian Amuta.
The late Chief (Akunwata) P.N Amuta also worked with late Chief of Ogoni, Jim Wiwa, the father of the Late Kunule (Ken) Tsaro – Wiwa during his acquisition of the Ogoni location for Shell British Petroleum.
During his service to, Shell British Petroleum he ensured that all policy guidelines were strictly followed in compliance with the law of the land.
He also certified strict adherence to the safety, clearing contracts, mitigation and Environmental Historical Preservation policy guidelines were followed for a successful land location acquisition for British Petroleum Company.
As a promoter of inclusive diversity, he made sure all stakeholders input were considered in all land acquisition as a community welcomed investment.
Chief (Akunwata) P.N Amuta was an outstanding brilliant representation for the Shell British Petroleum Company, going by his remarkable accomplishments and excellent records of his royal service to the great company.
Chief (Akunwata) P.N Amuta represented Shell British Petroleum in several court cases relating to land acquisition and won victoriously before the Nigerian civil war.
He was a great and talented tennis player in the early 1960’s, whose skill could be close to that of Novak Djokovic of the present tennis. His passion for lawn tennis sports won him several trophies for different tennis tournaments that he participated at. He was also a talented Billiard player in late 1950’s till year 2006.
He was a Club Captain at Portharcourt Tennis Club, Recreation club at Portharcourt, and Shell British Petroleum Company Senior Staff Club.
At Shell BP Senior Staff Club, he won the Albela Tennis Tournament Cup. He also won the tennis tournament championship trophies at Shell D’Arcy, Enugu Sports Club and Recreation club Enugu.
He later became the lawn tennis champion of the entire former Eastern Region Tennis tournament, organized by the Eastern Region Lawn Tennis Association.
Chief Akunwata P. N Amuta attended the Man’O War Bay Leadership course at Cameroon in 1960 and the benefits improved his proficiency in his service expertise to Shell British Petroleum Company. He was dedicated to his work and diligently protected the land location acquisition investments of the Shell British Petroleum Company in Nigeria.
After the civil war, he was invited to resume his work for Shell British Petroleum, Portharcourt, and due to the life threatening treatments Igbo people were being confronted with at the time, and in addition to fear of his life, the realistic facts of some Igbo people being ambushed and killed in the forests by unknown community members discouraged him from resuming work that the said invitation was geared to achieve.
After the civil war, sporadic killings were reported at Niger Delta communities where his job were sited: and as his work majorly involved the inspection of oil rich land locations in some forests, for Shell British Petroleum Company, he feared for his life to safely return to work.
He married the love of his life, being Late Mrs (Odoziaku) Pauline Adannaya Amuta (Nee Okorie) who was the First daughter of Chief Mark Ogubie Okorie of Amike Orlu. Mrs (Odoziaku) Pauline A. Amuta’s mother was Janet Nwanugo Okorie (Nee Otugara of Ihunnechi Amaifeke, in Orlu Local Government area, Imo State.
Akunwata P. N Amuta (a Senior Lands Man) and Odoziaku Pauline A. Amuta (Mid-Wife Nurse) met each other while they both worked for Shell British Petroleum Company and happily got married. They were blessed with six (6) children (three boys and three girls), twenty-three (23) grandchildren and two (2) great grandchildren. The names of their children are Pauline, Ifeyinwa, Obanye, Chinedu, Christian and Obianuju.
His loving wife, being late Odoziaku Pauline A. Amuta retired from University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu as the Assistant Chief Nurse.
He became a member of the most prestigious Ozo Title Association of Onicha Ado for over 48 years ago, where he respectfully earned his chieftaincy, title name as AKUNWATA. (Meaning: His blessings from God started at a young age).
He was the President of Ifeatu Eziokwu Bu Ndu Age Grade of Onitsha in the early 1980’s, a Patron of the Ikporo Onicha, at Enugu in early 1980’s and more.
Chief (Akunwata) Patrick N Amuta was the brain behind the success of the Amuta family in Onitsha.
He was very friendly, approachable, honest, truthful, a peace maker, out spoken, and a disciplinarian.
He hates lies, and oppression, of the helpless. He was always willing and ready to help anyone in need, both morally or financially.
He was God fearing and dedicated his life to Christian God in 2010.
No doubt he is peacefully resting in the care of the Lord.
Nigeria is grateful for all your inspiration, creativity, stewardship and contributions to the growth and development of oil exploration, and production business in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Onitsha Ado is thankful to you for being a role model to all the people of the land and also for the positive impact you have made in the lives of those that needed your assistance.
The United Kingdom and the United States also remain grateful for how you managed their Nigerian Oil Reserve Land Location acquisition for Shell British Petroleum Company.
A Great man is the definition of Late Chief Akunwata Patrick Nwabunwanne Amuta, and also an honest man of the people.
Late Chief (Akunwata) Patrick Nwabunwanne Amuta remains a role model to those who worked with him at Shell BP, and all who were acquainted with him during his life time.
Late Chief Akunwata P. N Amuta was a blessing and an asset to Nigeria, Great Britain and the United States because his service to Shell BP grew the revenue to over 10 Trillion US Dollars and community development from the oil reserves land acquisition investment in Nigeria for Great Britain, United States and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
His service accomplishments also helped create opportunities for the countless companies and individuals that entered into the oil sector business via Shell British Petroleum (Now Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited) in Nigeria.
Until his passing, he was a great lover of the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Great Britain, United States of America and Nigeria as an independent nation.
Certainly, the world appreciates the awesome accomplishments Chief Akunwata P. N Amuta and he will be missed dearly.
May the gentle soul of our awesome late Chief Akunwata Patrick N Amuta Rest in Peace.
He will be laid to rest in his home town of Ogbolieke residence, at Onicha Ado in November, 2023.
Late Chief Akunwata Patrick N Amuta is a true Hero and deserves to be nationally honoured.
