By Azeez Sulaiman
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Sen. Barinada Mpigi, has died at the age of 64.
The Rivers South-East lawmaker reportedly passed away on Thursday, although details surrounding his death were not immediately made public.
Born on June 23, 1961, Sen. Mpigi represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the Senate until his demise. He was elected to the upper chamber in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Prior to his election to the Senate, Mpigi served two consecutive terms in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, where he represented his constituency at the Green Chamber.
During his tenure in the Ninth Assembly, he chaired a joint Senate committee established to investigate crude oil theft in the Niger Delta. He also served as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service, and had earlier held the position of Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Electoral Matters.
Before moving to the National Assembly, Mpigi held several positions at the state and local government levels. He was Chairman of Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State from 1999 to 2001 and later returned to the position from 2008 to 2011. Between 2001 and 2002, he served as Commissioner for Youth Affairs in Rivers State.
Over the years, he was associated with youth empowerment initiatives and constituency development projects.
Mpigi began his education in Rivers State and later obtained a Higher National Diploma in Business Administration in 1984. He subsequently earned a Post-Graduate Diploma in Educational Administration in 2002, a Master of Education degree in 2007, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 2008, and a PhD in Educational Management and Administration in 2012.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs Patricia Obiageri Mpigi, and children.
