Bayelsa State’s Brand-New Head of Civil Service Dr. Wisdom Ebiye Sawyer, mni – The Quintessential Man of Medicine
By Dr. Inebaraton Preye
Long before the arrival of the colonial administrators in Nigeria, healthcare was primarily administered through traditional systems that involved invocation, incantations, herbal applications, and, in epidemic cases, appeasement of the gods. Unfortunately, inadequate treatment often led to high morbidity and mortality, especially among children aged 0–5. Deep-seated socio-cultural beliefs attributed such deaths to evil machinations of enemies or as reprisals from offended deities.
Attempts to introduce orthodox medicine began around 1419 when Portuguese traders arrived, though little progress was made until the 19th century with the establishment of military hospitals for soldiers and sailors under colonial rule. Over time, orthodox medicine gained prominence, culminating in the establishment of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in 1960—a body that continues to occupy an esteemed place in Nigerian society.
It is within this noble tradition that Dr. Wisdom Ebiye Sawyer, mni, has distinguished himself as a medical practitioner, administrator, scholar, and public servant, now elevated as the new Head of the Bayelsa State Civil Service.
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Early Life and Education
Born on May 14, 1970, in Odi Town, Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA, Bayelsa State, Wisdom was the son of Mr. Henry Gladen Sawyer, a retired police officer and security consultant, and Mrs. Helen Henry Sawyer (née Akaraolu), a professional teacher of Okrika extraction, Rivers State. His parents, convinced of his destined greatness, named him “Ebiye” (meaning Goodness in Izon) and “Wisdom,” symbolizing foresight and knowledge.
Dr. Sawyer attended Town School Ibaka, Okrika, completing primary education in 1981. He proceeded to the prestigious Okrika Grammar School, where he excelled as Deputy Senior Prefect (1985/86) and best student in Mathematics, Chemistry, and Biology, before earning his WASC (O’ Level) in 1986.
From 1988–1996, he studied Medicine and Surgery at the University of Port Harcourt, after which he undertook his housemanship with the old Rivers State Government. By providence, he joined the Bayelsa State Civil Service on June 8, 1998, as a Medical Officer.
Professional and Academic Advancement
Driven by his thirst for knowledge, Dr. Sawyer obtained a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Lagos (2000). He proceeded to the National Postgraduate Medical College, Lagos, earning a Part 2 Fellowship in Public Health (2010).
In 2022, he attended the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, where he successfully defended his second dissertation, becoming a Member of the National Institute (mni). Currently, he has defended a third dissertation for his Ph.D. in Clinical Sciences and Public Health at Niger Delta University.
Dr. Sawyer is also a prolific scholar, with 51 publications in local and international journals, including the prestigious Springer International Journal, earning him international recognition and awards.
Throughout his career, Dr. Sawyer has served across various ministries with distinction:
Ministry of Health – Member of planning teams for referral hospitals and health centres; represented the state at the commissioning of oxygen plants in Brass; contributed to Bayelsa ranking 1st nationwide in National Immunisation.
Dr Inebaraton Preye a public affairs analyst write from Yenagoa.
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