Thelma Agara is a seasoned football administrator and renowned chess champion, also recognized for her impressive career as a hotelier. She acquired hotel managerial skills from esteemed Lebanese and French nationals in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and had significant stints at the prestigious Hotel Presidential and several other hotels across the Niger Delta.
Entering the realm of sports in the early 1990s, Thelma hails from the Kaiama community in the Kolokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. She carved a niche for herself in chess, achieving an individual Gold Medal in Chess Board One and a Team Bronze at the former Rivers State chess competition. Her success culminated in a Team Gold Medal at the 1992 Sports Festival, known as Bauchi ’92.
After these achievements, Thelma was appointed as a Stadium Assistant in Chess by the Rivers State government, marking the start of her participation in numerous open chess tournaments, where she consistently excelled. In the mid-1990s, she secured a notable Tie Second position at the now-defunct NEPA Open Championships in Lagos. Recognized as the 10th ranked chess player in Nigeria, she later transitioned to become the Organizing Secretary within the Bayelsa State Sports Council.
In this role, Thelma oversaw sports administration at Ogbia Central Rural Development Authority, managing the Chess and Scrabble Associations and earning medals in various Sports Festivals. She holds a degree in Mass Communication from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (now Rivers State University).
Leveraging her expertise, Thelma served as the Public Relations Officer of the Bayelsa State Sports Council, which evolved into the Media & Publicity Department. Over the years, she has been the Head of Media and Publicity under four Directors and continues to serve in this capacity under the fifth Director, focusing on special duties. Known for her unwavering passion for soccer, she has gained national recognition in the sport.
In 2012, Thelma ventured into football administration, joining the five-person committee for Bayelsa Queens FC as Secretary. She later became part of a two-person committee and subsequently the Substantial Secretary of Bayelsa United FC at the end of the 2012/2013 Premier League season. Under her leadership, Bayelsa United FC secured a Continental Ticket to compete in the Confederation Cup of Africa (CAF) in 2014, where they faced FC Konzo of Congo Brazzaville and returned with an away draw.
Unfortunately, Thelma departed from Bayelsa United FC in March 2014 due to excessive external interference from Board Members, which conflicted with the Governor’s mandate. Later that year, she became a Committee Member of the Nigeria Women Football Committee within the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), a position she continues to hold.
A trailblazer in Bayelsa, Thelma made history as the first female to manage Bayelsa United FC, the first woman to participate in the Nigerian Premier League, and the first woman to lead a male team in the CAF Confederation Cup on the continent. Her amiable and versatile presence in sports business and administration has left an indelible mark.
Though she retired from active service on June 10, 2024, her passion for sports endures. On September 9, 2024, she was appointed as the Team Manager of Bayelsa Queens FC, continuing her legacy of leadership in Nigerian sports.
