By Festus Ahon

ASABA—THE member representing Ughelli/Udu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Solomon Ahwinahwi, and Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Ovwigho Igbuya, have described the death of Deacon Gamaliel Onosode as a monumental loss to Nigeria and the Urhobo nation in particular. Ahwinahwi, who stated this in a chat with newsmen, said the demise of the boardroom giant and elder statesman was the biggest calamity that had befallen Ughelli Kingdom and a great misfortune to the whole of Urhoboland.

He said: “The death of the business titan and symbol of integrity is a scary reminder that the list of the finest creations of God will soon be exhausted,” lamenting that “the vacuum created by the demise of this illustrious son of Urhobo is comparable to the devastating adverse effect that the death of Chief Obafemi Awolowo had on the Yoruba of the South-West and that of the late Owelle of Onitsha on the Igbos of the South-East.

“All I can say is that forever in our hearts and on the marble of history, this foremost technocrat, leading chief executive in Nigeria’s corporate environment and reputable sailor from Government College, Ughelli will always remain indellible.”

Similarly, Igbuya said Onosode’s demise had deprived Nigerians, particularly the people of Delta State, of the services of one of the most consistent administrators of this age, adding: “Onosode was a family man who radiated the best of family values.”

Igbuya, who also described the death of the former chairman of Dunlop Nigeria Plc, Cadbury Nigeria Plc and Zain Nigeria, as sad and painful, noted that the boardroom guru proved to Nigerians and the international community that there was everything to gain from being principled.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr. Henry Ebireri, urged the younger generation of Nigerians to take a cue from the ideals that Onosode lived for, building a better Urhobo nation, Delta State and Nigeria.

“In Nigeria, Onosode stood out. He was a rare gem and a visionary leader with the knack for identifying talents. As the head of NAL merchant bank of Nigeria, he brought together bright young men and women, some of whom are today in top banking position in the country and abroad. As a presidential adviser to President Shagari and a former president of the Nigerian Institute of Management, he demonstrated exceptional administrative prowess.”