Okowa condoles Keyamo over father’s demise

By Dave Okpogadie, Asaba

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has condoled with the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Chief Festus Keyamo, SAN, on the passing of his father, Pa Matthias Keyamo.

According to family sources, late Pa Keyamo passed on peacefully at the age of 83 on Saturday in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba, the governor joined the Keyamo family and the people of Effurun to mourn the departed patriarch.

Okowa said Pa Keyamo’s death was a great loss not only to his family and the people of Effurun but the Urhobo nation, given his invaluable contributions to the cause of humanity.

He noted that Pa Keyamo lived a life of impact and urged the family to be consoled by his legacies.

Okowa paid glowing tribute to the deceased for being a good father to his children and others, and urged the family to take solace in the fact that the late patriarch lived to witness the enormous successes achieved by his children, including the emergence of one of his sons as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We received the news of the demise of your beloved father with shock but we are consoled by the fact that he lived a life of dedicated service to humanity.

“We share in the honourable minister’s sorrow and pains at this period and we pray that God will grant him the courage to bear the loss, as we pray for the repose of the soul of the departed patriarch.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I mourn with my brother, the Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, SAN, on the unfortunate demise of his beloved father, Pa Matthias Keyamo.

“It is my prayer that God will comfort the minister and the larger Keyamo family and grant them the fortitude to bear the loss,” he said.