From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has expressed sadness over the death of the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Professor Godswill Obioma, describing it as another blow to the people of Abia State.
Against the back drop of rumour making the rounds that Prof Obioma was assassinated, Ikpeazu stated that the death of the NECO Registrar was due to natural cause.
In a message by his Chief Press Secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka, Ikpeazu recalled that barely one year ago, precisely on May 22, 2020, he had sent a message of congratulations to Professor Obioma on his appointment as the Registrar of the National Examinations Council.
“it is profoundly depressing for me to write a death tribute to one of our finest academics from Abia State, just barely one year after I had written him a letter of congratulations on his appointment as NECO Registrar”.
The Governor described the death of Professor Obioma as a major blow on the people of Abia State and a greater blow to him as a person because “Professor Obioma was a personal friend of mine. As academics, we understood each other. He was always wiling to listen to me and was always willing to bring his huge experience in educational administration to bear on what we do here. He was always prepared to come down to Abia even at the shortest of notices, once it had to do with the good of Abia State.
“He was one of those we partnered with when we were crafting the pillars of our administration in 2015. He made very solid contributions to our educational road map. He was clearly one of the finest Mathematicians this country has ever produced. I feel a deep and personal sense of loss at his death. It is almost impossible to produce alternatives to men like Professor Obioma”.
Against the back drop of rumour making the round that Prof Obioma was assassinated, Ikpeazu stated that the death of the NECO Registrar was due to natural causes, describing as unfortunate the attempt to politicize his death and give it ethnic colouration with the sole objective of execerbating the already charged situation in the country.
The Governor, on behalf of the Government and People of Abia State sent his condolences to the family of Professor Obioma, the people of Nkpa Community, Bende Local Government Area and the academic community, and prays the Almighty God to grant his soul eternal rest and console his family.