By Ebi Perekeme
Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, has commiserated with the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, former President of the Ijaw National Congress, Prof Kimse Okoko, father of the late businessman and politician, Keniebi Okoko over his untimely death.
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Governor Dickson also condoled with the wife of the late politician, his aged parents, his Obunagha community, the Gbarain Clan, Bayelsa State, the Ijaw nation and the PDP family on the sudden death of the politician.
Okoko, a successful businessman and gubernatorial aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last governorship contest in Bayelsa state died in a Lagos hospital during a failed surgery on Tuesday at the age of 42.
The former Governor who described death of Okoko as painful and sad said that he left indelible marks in the world of business and politics at a young age of 42 in a statement on Wednesday.
He said, “Keniebi was somebody we all had a lot of hope in; he proved to be an open minded, accommodating, large hearted, understanding political leader that I encouraged to be under my wing henceforth for political grooming and support.
“My family and I are pained and I have made a lot of calls to our leaders. Everybody is pained and we should take it as bad as it is as what God has done. Nobody can question Him.”
Honourable Dickson said this period of of COVID 19 was a particularly trying period for Bayelsa with the death of prominent politician George Fente, (still being mourned) and the loss of the wife of Senator Ben Murray Bruce to cancer in the US and the painful death of Okoko.
He called on Bayelsans and the Ijaw nation to give the requisite support to the Governor and his team during this challenging period of the COVID19 induced lockdown.
The former Governor also urged all Bayelsans and indeed the Ijaw nation to pray against a recurrence of such painful deaths in the state.
The Governor who prayed for the repose of the soul of the late Okoko also prayed to God to give the grieving family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
He stressed that Okoko’s death was a heavy blow to Bayelsa and indeed the Ijaw nation.
He said that he would personally visit the families of the three prominent people who died recently in the state after the lock down even though he has spoken to them.
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