Dr. Akpoebi Adesi hails from Sagbama town in Bayelsa State where he had his Elementary School Education. He then proceeded to Burutu Grammar School, Burutu, and left in 1984. It was while in secondary school that his interest in Theatre Arts was ignited as a member of the school’s Drama Club. Thereafter, having participated in a number of amateur drama activities including performing in a church group in Lagos, he eventually went on to study Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan. Dr. Adesi holds three degrees in Theatre Arts from the University of Ibadan in the following order respectively 1993-1998 BA, 2003-2004 MA and 2006-2012 PhD.

He had his National Youths Service Corps exercise with the Ogun State Council for Arts and Culture, Abeokuta. There, his activities as the coordinator Community Development (CD) Drama Group and his personal CD effort helped him to be awarded the NYSC Ogun State Honours Award in 1999. He was also given a Plaque by his primary place of assignment in appreciation of his dedicated services as a Corps Member during his service year. Between 1999 and 2000 he worked briefly with the Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture as a Resident Guest Artiste (Temporary Staff)

On October 2000, he was recruited as a pioneer lecturer of the Bayelsa State College of Arts and Science, Agudama-Epie Yenagoa. There he founded the BYCAS Drama Club as an Extra-curricular activity which helped to place social life on campus on a high pedestal. In 2002 he moved to the Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island as a foundation staff (Graduate Assistant) in the Department of Theatre Arts. In 2004, having obtained his Master’s degree, he was re-graded as Assistant Lecturer and rose through the ranks to become Lecturer before he obtained his PhD in 2012.

Within the intervening period, he was also a Facilitator with the National Open University of Nigeria, (NOUN) Yenagoa Study Centre from 2007 to 2011,
where he taught Literature in English. Dr Adesi is a specialist on African and Black Diaspora Drama. He had taught Dramatic literature, Dramatic Theory and Criticism, Production Styles and Theatre History whilst he served as a lecturer in the Theater Arts Department. Dr. Adesi has varied interests in experimental plays, as well as monodramas, which is a rare area of dramaturgy and playwriting in Nigeria.

Among his published plays are: Agadagba Warriors and other plays, which potray the landscape and issues affecting Nigeria’s Niger Delta
Region and When the Table Turns. Dr. Adesi has also published widely in peer reviewed journals and books locally and internationally. Subsequently, when the Ministry of Culture and Ijaw National Affairs was newly established in
2012, he was invited to serve as Director of Planning, Research and Documentation between 2012 and 2014 on Secondment.

In 2015, Dr. Adesi was appointed as Registrar of the Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education Sagbama. He was yet to serve out his tenure in office when he was appointed as Acting Registrar of the newly established Bayelsa Medical University Yenagoa in October, 2018. He had his appointment confirmed in October 2019. As the pioneer Registrar of that institution, he had to weather the storm with the associated foundational challenges of a new University from 2018 to 2021 before his appointment as Registrar of the University of Africa Toru-Orua in May
2021.

Dr. Adesi is a member of several professional associations such as:

1. Society of Nigeria Theatre Artists SONTA
2. Assocition of African Theatre Artists AFTA London
   He is the current Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors Bayelsa State Chapter.

Dr. Adesi is married to Timi Loveth Adesi with children.