…He complained of weakness

….Begged FG, Delta govt to engage  his son in Nigeria

…His death has  depleted ranks of revolutionary leaders – Prof Darah

….Name a monument after him – Ledum Mitee

By Jimitota Onoyume

Labour leader, Chief Frank Ovie Kokori  died in coma, says his personal assistant, Mr Monday Ovumedia.

Ovumedia who spoke exclusively to Vanguard newspaper said his boss , Chief Kokori  relapsed into  coma and died three days later, adding that before he slipped into coma he complained of weakness.

He said Chief  Kokori  in his last moment of consciousness expressed tremendous gratitude to governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state, Chief Femi Otedola,  for   their timely response to his medical needs.

 ” Well ! It was the way God wanted it . If not Chief had good medical attention from the hospital. The medical Director of the hospital even flew in from Egypt to supervise Chief ‘s medical situation.

” Also  the Delta state government  provided support. Chief Femi Otedola was also there for him. He deployed his medical team to work with the hospital and the medical team on ground. Like I said,  it was how God wanted it.”

“Chief thanked the Delta state government  and Chief Otedola for coming to his rescue at the time they did, he prayed for them.

” Chief Femi Otedola’s  medical team worked    in conjunction with the state government, the hospital. His medical team commended the management of the hospital. They even advised us to leave him in the hospital, that  he was getting good attention.

The Personal Assistant, Mr Ovumedia  said  Chief probably felt he was having his last moments  but   concealed it.

 According to him, on his bed, Chief Kokori appealed to the Federal and the Delta state government to find a place for his son  in the United States of America, USA,  so he can come back home.

He said Kokori was not happy that all his children were overseas.

“He begged government to reward his children, he felt  bad that all his children are overseas, most especially his eldest  son Aghogho Tiver who is in the United States, an ICT expert . He wants him back to the country. He said government should find a place for him so he can come back home .”

The aide said Kokori also decried  the way  Nigeria government treated her heroes, urging the country to  accord them recognition and also take visible steps to productively engage the youths..

“He said Nigeria is a country that does not recognize it’s heroes . He said heroes  should be rewarded when they are alive not when they are dead.

” He said Nigeria leaders should take corrections. He said the government should not ignore the youths, they should be productively engaged

“He gave all these information three days before he went  into coma . He said he fought  for good governance  in the country  and his life was for the country.”

The demise of the labour leader came  31 days after he was admitted at the hospital over kidney related ailment.

Death of Kokori has depleted ranks of revolutionary leaders – Prof Darah

Foremost crusader for justice and better deal for Niger Delta, Professor  Godwin Darah lamented the death, saying it had depleted the ranks of revolutionary leaders in the working class movement.

“The death of Olorogun Comrade Frank Ovie-Kokori has further depleted the ranks of revolutionary leaders of the Nigerian working class movement.

“He was devoted to political work for the emancipation of the oppressed and exploited majority of the people. He belongs to the legendary heritage of radical socialist trade unionists like Michael Imoudu, Kola Balogun, Nduka Eze, Gogo Chu Nzeribe, Ola Oni, Sidi Khayam, Lailai Dongoyaro, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Eskor Toyo, Mayirue Kolagbodi, Wahab Goodluck, and Jonathan Ihonde.

“Ovie-Kokori is one of the greatest titans of democratic struggles in Nigeria and Africa. He was brave and incorruptible in union work and politics. As the Secretary-General of NUPENG, Ovie-Kokori led the oil workers strike of August 1994 against the military junta of Gen Sani Abacha.

“The strikers demanded the release from detention of Chief M. K. O. Abiola, winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election cancelled by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. The strike paralysed the nation’s economy and damaged Abacha’s fate beyond recovery. Ovie-Kokori and his compatriot, Milton Dabibi were arrested and detained in remote gulacs for four years; this endangered their health and Ovie-Kokori never completely recovered from the harrowing experience.

 “Thanks to the 1994 oil workers uprising, the pro-democracy campaign coordinated by the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) got stronger, making the end of Abacha and military rule inevitable. All beneficiaries of elected governments in Nigeria from 1999 are indebted to the sacrifice made by Ovie-Kokori and other anti-military agitators. Like Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Comrade Frank Ovie-Kokori always advocated the mantra: “The struggle is my life”. His legacy will endure through the ages in Nigeria, Africa and the world.”

Name a monument after Kokori  –  Mitee

Former president , Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP,  Bar Ledum Mitee  described the death of Kokori as a loss to the  entire nation, urging the federal government to name a monument after him.

“It’s a sad loss not  just  to the  labour movement  and all who stand for the  struggle for justice  but the entire nation  This is a man who gave his life for the service of humanity and suffered for it. 

” The best tribute we can give to him is to live for the ideals he lived and  died for. It will not be too much for an appropriate monument to be named after him.”

A brief biography of the late Kokori made available to the Vanguard by his aide  reads in parts, :Chief  Frank Ovie Kokori was born 7th of December,1943 during the second world war.

He was barely five years old in early 1948   when  he started primary school at  Saint Andrew’s (CMS) School, Warri .

He finished his primary education at Saint Andrew’s in 1955.

He went to Urhobo College, Effurun-Warri between 1958 and 1962. He later went to Eko Boys High school, Lagos.

He graduated from the University of Ibadan . He worked at Eko Electricity  company of Nigeria (ECN).

Later  got appointment from NUPENG  as Assistant Secretary and  rose to a position of  Secretary General. He attended  Fritz, Herkert Advance Labour College, Berlin German Democratic Republic, International Institute for labour Studies, Geneva- Switzerland  and the institute of Social Studies, the Hague-Netherlands  where  he got his Master Degree in Development Studies.