The Mayor of Urhoboland, and leader of ex-agitators, Eshanekpe Israel a.k.a Akpodoro has described the death of a former Executive Director of the Niger Delta Development Commision, NDDC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, as devastating and a loss to all men of good will.
He stated this in a glowing tribute to Dr. Ojougboh, a one time memeber of the Federal House of Representatives who died in the middle of the match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in the ongoing African Cup of Nations, AFCON.
Akpodoro noted that death came calling on Chief Ojougboh when the nation needed him most, adding that he led an accomplished life of fulfillment urging his immediate family and friends to take solace in God who gives and takes life at his own will.
In the House of Representatives where Ojougboh served “consciously and selflessly” Akpodoro noted that he left a footprint of sterling performance at the dawn of the country’s democracy a precedence for superlative representation.
He noted that the verdict of posterity shall be kind to the late Agbor Delta State-born politician who he said died a patriotic Nigerian to whom national solidarity made a huge sense.
He further stated that as the EDP in NDDC, Chief Ojougboh ran a transparent and open door policy and equally exemplied honesty and loyalty to the people of the Niger region in his efforts to add his quota to regional growth and development maintaining that such a man of character is as scarce as s white falcon “in our clime.”
He died a noble man whose love for his peoples’ development saying if anything, Ojougbo died fulfilled and accomplished.
Having achieved all he did in his service to humanity, Ojougboh, Akpodoro noted, died a happy man while watching the footballing skill of the new generation of Nigerians played in the service of their father land.
He wondered if there was a better time for such a “great man to die. To Ojougboh, solidarity to one’s nation was an inalienable virtue of every citizen and I call on the federal and his state government to accord the late pan Nigerian leader his due honour in death by giving him a state burial for his patriotism to the Nigerian state.”
Akpodoro recalled how much of a good friend the late Ojougboh was to everyone who came around him.
He said: “he was like a big brother to me in our regional struggle. He stood for the truth at all times and till death, his character was never impugned by anyone because he was sterling and astute in whatever he did.
“We shall miss him, as we pray God grants him eternal rest. Death is an inevitable end of every mortal but we have it a duty to mourn a superlative character like Ojougboh.
“We sympathise with his entire family for this irreparable loss and may God console them and give them the fortitude to bear the loss of the departed.”
He called on the federal government to name the National Assembly after the late Ojougboh to encourage national loyalty and unblemished solidarity to one’s fatherland.
Ojougboh was reported to have slumped and died when a controversial penalty kick was awarded against Nigeria in favour of the South African team who lost to Nigeria in a penalty shootout at the Wednesday’s tension soaked encounter.
In the same vein, the Mayor extends his condolence to families of other Nigerians who died during the epic encounter the men in green white green against their South African opponent “who came up viciously against Nigeria.”
