Born on 26th December, 1936 into two royal families of Edim Itakpo and Ekong Ambang in Big Qua Town Calabar, his father was the legendary Ntui Ika Ika Oqua II. Young Edim Ikaoqua, as he was formally called, had his primary education at the Church of Scotland Mission School, Big Qua Town Calabar, in 1944. He later proceeded to Hope Waddell Training Institution in 1952 and obtain his West African School Certificate in 1956. He then enrolled in the Yaba College of Technology in 1962 where he studied Civil Engineering and obtained his Higher National Diploma (HND) IN 1966.
After graduation he returned to Calabar, then proceeded to Enugu in search of better opportunities. He was in Enugu when the civil war broke out in 1967, and as was the fate of men at that time, he was conscripted into the Biafran Army where he served as an intelligence officer until the end of the war. He returned to Calabar at the end of the war in 1970 and joined the services of the then South-Eastern state government, in the state public works department, which later became Ministry of Works and Transport. He serviced as Area Engineer in different towns where the department had jurisdiction, including Oron, Akamkpa, Biase, Calabar, Obudu among others. He retired voluntarily in 1992.
Eng. Thomas Ika Ika Oqua loved his Engineering profession and was actively engaged in the construction of many roads and bridges around the areas where he worked. He attended several professional courses in Engineering Management and procedures, project costing and management, asphalt pavement and design, highway design construction, and maintenance among others within and outside Nigeria. He was a Chartered Member of the British Institution of Engineers and a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers. After retirement he became Managing Director of Ken Oil Nigeria Limited. Ndidem Thomas Ika Ika Oqua III understood his role in life and continuously served his people. He acquired a lot of experience from his father who always carried him along in his many outings. He then grew to become the Village Head of Atekong, the Ntoe of Big Qua, and the Ndidem of the Qua Nation. In this position he became the rallying point of the Ejagham Qua Nation. During his reign he was able to galvanize successfully the Ejagham Nation; spanning the Cameroons, Ogoja, Ikom, Akamkpa, Odukpani, Bakassi, Akpabuyo, Calabar South, and Calabar Municipality. Ndidem Thomas Ika Ika Oqua III was a man of deep insight and a very religious person. He was a committed Presbyterian and one of the pioneers of The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria Obudu in 1976. After attending a prayer conference in Jerusalem Israel in the year 2009, with the likes of Myles Munroe, he came to the conclusion that all thrones derived their legitimacy and authority from God. Upon return to Nigeria he declared to his people, the Quas, that the Qua throne is henceforth linked to the throne of David and followed this up with an inscription “The Throne of David” in the palace.
Ndidem Thomas Ika Ika Oqua III I was a very focused person and always loved to give his all wherever his services were needed. He was actively involved as a member of the Rotary Club International. He played lawn tennis at the Calabar Sports Club regularly and played golf at the Calabar Golf Club among others. He was also active with The Fellowship of Christian Traditional Rulers of Nigeria. He encouraged the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International to hold their regular meetings at the palace where he also actively participated. He was a selfless leader, committed to excellence, a strict disciplinarian, and a father to all.
During his reign many positive developments were recorded. The first phase of Ndidem’s palace was initiated and completed during his tenure as Ndidem. He introduced the opening of centers for learning of Ekin, Qua language, in all the Qua clans in 2014. In this same year he directed the various to organize women to form cooperative societies, so they could obtain loans to improve on their various economic ventures. The supported Qua women economically.
HRM hosted the Cubans, who paid him a courtesy visit, with their Mgbe masquerade taken from Calabar to Cuba during the slave trade era; and he approved the return visit of the Quas to Paris in 2004 to showcase their Qua Mgbe with the Cuban Mgbe masquerades in a historical and colourful reunion. Ndidem Thomas Ika Ika Oqua III was a great king, the Nigerian Royalty Award in 2005 recognized him as the most responsive royal father of the year. He received numerous other awards during his lifetime. HRM Ndidem Dr Thomas Ika Ika Oqua III will always be remembered for his landmark contributions to humanity, he was diligent, visionary, hard-working, and focused.