Demas Akpore

Chief Demas Onoliobakpovba Akpore (4 August 1928 – 28 December 1993) was a Nigerian educator and politician who served as the first elected deputy governor of Bendel State from 1979 to 1983. He was also the principal of Government College, Ughelli, and the founder and principal of Orogun Grammar School.

When the government of Bendel State took over privately owned schools, Akpore was appointed principal of Government College, Ughelli, his alma mater. He served in this role from 1973 to 1978.

He refused to take compensation from the government for his school affirming that he established it for his people and would therefore not make profit out of it.

In 1988, when government had lifted the ban on private ownership of schools, he again established Idise Institute, Warri.

Akpore was a council member of the College of Education, Abraka, from 1973 to 1978.

When the ban on political activities was lifted in 1978, he joined the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) becoming an executive member of the state branch of the party. He was the running mate of his party's gubernatorial candidate Ambrose Folorunsho Alli in 1979. They won the election and were elected the first governor and deputy governor, respectively, of what was then the Bendel State and were sworn on 1 October 1979. He, however resigned as deputy governor on 3 November 1982 over irreconcilable differences. About a month later, he was attacked by unknown assailants in a failed assassination attempt.

Personal life and death Akpore and his wife Grace had seven children: Stella, Jomo, Boye, Ejime, Kevwe, Enaite and Newman. A pan-Africanist, Akpore named his first son after the Kenyan pan-Africanist leader Jomo Kenyatta.

Akpore’s son Boye was also a politician. Boye was assassinated on 17 March 2001 in Okuokoko, Okpe, Delta State.

Akpore died on 28 December 1993.

His wife Grace later immigrated to America. She died on August 29, 2024 in Galesburg, Illinois.