Delta governor’s father passes on at 88

From Paul Osuyi, Asaba

Delta State was on Thursday thrown into mourning following the death of the Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Tim Owhefere and the father Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Pa. Arthur Okorie Uzoma Okowa.

Owhefere died on Wednesday night while Pa. Okowa breathed his last on Thursday morning.

They both passed away at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba.

Although the death of Owhefere was officially confirmed with Governor Okowa expressing shock in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Olisa Ifeajika, that of Pa. Okowa has not be confirmed as at the time of filing this report.

But various social media handles including Facebook are already awash with the news of the demise of the 88-year old patriarch.

One of the governor’s brothers, Solomon, took to his Facebook page to lament the demise of patriarch of the Okowa household in Owa Kingdom, Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state.

Solomon wrote: “Daddy is gone to rest. Wonderful and strong daddy. A comforter, adviser, disciplinarian, God’s lover, peaceful and joyful loving father for all. May he rest in the hand of the Lord.”

The octogenarian patriarch was a retired teacher and a community leader in his Owa-Alero homestead where he also held the title of Okpara-Uku.

Fondly called AOU, Pa. Okowa was also an author and a formidable political opinion moulder in Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state.

Unconfirmed reports has it that the octogenarian who would have been 89 in August this year, may have been aggravated COVID-19 complications, as he had been reported to be in and out of niggling illnesses for a while.