Okowa, Utomi, Waive mourns death of DIG Ugbaja

 

By Shedrack Onitsha,

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Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Prof. Pat Utomi and Rev. Francis Waive, Wednesday joined prominent Deltans to mourn the death of retired Deputy Inspector General of Police and elder statesman, Donald Ugbaja.

Governor Okowa, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, described the late Ugbaja as a complete gentleman, a thorough bred officer, who contributed his own quota to serving his country and humanity.

Governor Okowa, while commiserating with the family of the late elder statesman, urged them to uphold the ideals he stood for, saying that the nation will continue to draw inspiration from his life and times.

“His demise, at this time is not only painful but regrettable, adding “the late Ugbaja paid his dues and has left his footprints on the sands of time.

“On behalf of the government and people of Delta State, I want to express our heartfelt condolence to the family of DIG Donald Ugbaja, the people of Igbodo community and the Ika nation on this great and irreparable loss. He was a pride to the Ika nation and we will surely miss him,” Governor Okowa said.

In his condolences message, Prof. Pat Utomi, who was in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia when the news of the passage of the DIG Ugbaja broke said, “a decent and gentle soul has left the stage.”

He stated further that the sudden demise of DIG Chief Donald Ugbaja (Rtd), the Ozomor of Owa Kingdom, and leader of the APC family in Ika North-East has come as a very grave shock.

In his word: “What a loss. The last time I was in Agbor two weeks ago I kept calling to confirm he was in so I could visit him. A decent and gentle soul has left the stage. May God welcome him warmly and his family receives the grace to bear the loss.”

“Prof. Utomi grieves with the Owa kingdom, the Delta APC family, and particularly our Ika-speaking brothers and sisters who have together lost a very dependable leader, a forthright defender of good governance, and a bastion of hope for all progressives, and prays for the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”

On his part, Rev. Francis Waive, an APC House of Representative aspirant for Ughelli North/South and Udu federal constituency, described the death of DIG Ugbaja as a monumental loss to the progressive in Delta.

According to Waive, “I receive the news of our leader DIG Ugbaja with rude shock, he represents a class of Deltans who fought gallantly to enthrone good governance and gave all in the service of Delta state.

“His death no doubt has created a huge vacuum which will be difficult to fill, his types are rare, Delta state, and Nigeria will miss his contributions in peace building.”

“We are however, consoled that he has left a legacy of service to his fatherland. We pray that God grant the family that he left behind, APC and Delta state the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”