By Eseoghene Emuke
As tributes continue to flow over the passage of a former minister of works and one-time Acting Chief of Air Force Staff, Major General Orho Obada, a social activist, Chief Zik Gbemre, has described the death of Obada as huge loss to the Urhobo Nation and Nigeria in general.
Chief Gbemre said the late Obada belongs to the league of Urhobo genuine patriots who used their wealth of experiences and positions to advance the development of Urhobo people.
In a statement on Monday, Gbemre noted that the departed octogenarian worked for the unity and peace of Delta State.
Obada, a chairman of the Board of Trustee of the apex socio-cultural umbrella of Urhobo Nation, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), died on Sunday morning at private hospital in Warri at the age of 81 after a brief illness.
Gbemre said, “He was one of the greatest Urhobo eminent personalities. Yet, he was a simple man.
ALSO READ: Former Minister Of Works, Gen. Obada, Dies At 81
“During the time when Shell (SPDC) operations was active in the Western division, he supported to resolve burning issues between host communities and Shell(SPDC) then, and was always an active participant in Shell annual stakeholders workshop, which was always holding in PTI conference centre then.
“I actually got to know him and Justice Ovie-Whiskey, former Chairman of Federal Electoral Commission (FEDCO), which is now known as INEC. Obada’s death will create a lot of gaps in Urhobo nation that will be difficult to fill because the majority of this crop of this generation of leaders in Urhobo land, are greedy, corrupt and hungry for power without the will to develop the Urhobo nation and Delta State.
“All they know is to grab as much as they can. Obada was also a former Federal Commissioner (Minister) of works, but I don’t know of any estates owned by him. If he were this present crop of politicians, he would have owned estates of high-rise buildings/mansions all over the country. He would have acquired all the Agbarho land for himself and family. He would have acquired…”
He condoled with the Obada family, Urhobo Nation and the Nigerian government where the late retired military officer served the country meritoriously in various capacities.
