Okowa mourns legendary historian, Prof. Abednego Ekoko
By Dave Okpogadie, Asaba
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has expressed sadness on the passing of one of Nigeria’s foremost historians, Professor Abednego Ekoko, describing his passage as a great loss to Delta and Nigeria.
Ekoko reportedly died on Saturday after a brief illness, at 79.
Okowa recalled that Ekoko, a Professor of History, who served and retired at the Delta State University, Abraka, was at various times, Commissioner for Education in the state during the military administration, Sole Administrator, Delta State University, Abraka; Commissioner, National Boundary Commission and Chairman, Delta State Boundary Committee.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Olisa Ifeajika, on Sunday in Asaba, the governor eulogised the late historian and boundary expert for his immense contributions to the resolution of many boundary issues in Delta and Nigeria.
He said that the works of Ekoko promoted peaceful co-existence particularly in Delta, adding that history, his academic comfort zone, will remember and celebrate him for his humble endeavours as teacher and contributor to the development of the environment in Delta and the country.
He said that the deceased was an erudite historian, great educationist and administrator par excellence, and regretted that with his demise, death, the inevitable, had dealt a huge blow on Nigeria’s historical society and left a great lacuna that would be difficult to fill.
“On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I commiserate with the Ekoko family of Uzere, the Isoko nation and the entire academia over the demise of the cerebral scholar and legendary historian.
“Until his death, he was a member of the Governing Council of the three new universities we recently established and contributed his best in ensuring that the universities took off as planned.
“The late Ekoko will be remembered and honoured for his huge contributions to resolution of some boundary disputes in the state, especially the Aladja-Ogbe-Ijoh land dispute which he chaired,” he said.
Okowa prayed that God would grant eternal rest to the soul of the departed Ekoko and comfort his family and all who mourn him.
