The Olila-Ebhugh of Abureni Kingdom in Bayelsa State, HRM King Collins Ebi Daniel, has earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Law from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt.
Daniel received the academic endorsement in October 2026 after successfully defending his doctoral thesis before a panel of eminent academics, including the Dean of the College of Postgraduate Studies and an external examiner, a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The monarch recently announced the achievement, saying the panel found his thesis academically sound and confirmed that it met the requirements for the award of the doctorate.
The latest qualification adds to Daniel’s academic and professional accomplishments as a legal practitioner, traditional ruler and former senior civil servant.
Born on September 5, 1959, in Idema, Abureni clan, in present-day Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Daniel began his education at St John’s Anglican School, Idema, before proceeding to Nembe National Grammar School, where he completed his secondary education in 1978.
He obtained a degree in History from the University of Port Harcourt in 1985 and subsequently completed his National Youth Service Corps programme at the Federal College of Education, Yola, in the then Gongola State.
He later studied Law at Rivers State University of Science and Technology, obtaining his Bachelor of Laws degree between 1988 and 1992 and a Master’s degree in Law between 2000 and 2003.
Daniel was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1993 after completing his training at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos. He is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
His public service career began in November 1980 when he joined the Rivers State Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning as a Clerical Officer. He subsequently rose through the ranks to become an Administrative Officer.
Following the creation of Bayelsa State in 1996, he was among the first four senior civil servants transferred from Rivers State to help establish the new state’s administrative structure.
He held several positions in the Bayelsa State Government, including Head of Administration at the Governor’s Office and Principal Secretary, also known as Chief of Staff, at Government House, Yenagoa.
He was appointed Permanent Secretary in the state civil service on April 25, 2007, and served in various ministries and government offices until his retirement on November 13, 2015, after 35 years in public service.
Beyond public administration, Daniel has developed a career in legal practice, arbitration and dispute resolution.
He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Nigeria, and the International Dispute Resolution Institute. He also belongs to the Nigerian Bar Association, International Bar Association, American Bar Association and Historical Society of Nigeria, among other professional organisations.
He currently serves as an adjunct lecturer in Arbitration Law and Practice at the Faculty of Law, Niger Delta University, Yenagoa.
His contributions to public service and legal scholarship have earned him several awards, including the 2003 Productivity Merit Award of Excellence from the Bayelsa State Civil Service.
In 2004, he won the Justice Bola Ajibola Prize on International Commercial Arbitration as the overall best student.
Daniel was unanimously elected and installed as the Olila-Ebhugh of Abureni in July 2008, becoming the traditional ruler of the clan, which comprises 15 towns and villages across Bayelsa and Rivers states.
He is also an author whose publications cover community history and legal practice. His first book, The History of Iduma From Ancient Times, documents the history of his community, while his 2020 publication, Arbitration and Dispute Resolution in Nigeria, examines arbitration and dispute resolution in the country.
The latter book was formally presented in Yenagoa at an event attended by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Daniel’s latest academic achievement adds another milestone to a career spanning public administration, legal practice, traditional leadership, teaching and scholarship.
The monarch is married and blessed with children and grandchildren.
