By Professor Mondy Gold

In the sacred silence of remembrance and the resounding echoes of our national history, a mighty Iroko has fallen. Yet, like all great trees rooted in fertile soil, its presence endures. The roots of Chief Senator Dr. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, OFR, CON, run deep in the consciousness of Nigeria, and his towering influence continues to cast a protective shade over our collective aspirations. His was a voice that whispered wisdom, roared with truth, and held firm through seasons of storm and sunshine.

Chief Clark was not merely a man, he was a living monument. His being stood as a moral compass, steadfast and unyielding. Like the eternal River Niger that courses through the landscapes of our struggle, his words surged through decades, sometimes gently persuasive, at other times thunderously insistent, but always with purpose. Whether in the corridors of government, the streets of protest, or the quiet chambers of policymaking, he remained the embodiment of integrity, resilience, and vision.

To the elders, he was “the drummer whose rhythms stirred the conscience of the clan.” To the modern generation, he was “the firewall that held the virus of injustice at bay.” In him was found a fusion of ancestral wisdom and modern political dexterity. Icons such as Chief Clark do not pass away, they ascend. They become guiding stars, forever illuminating the path for those who dare to dream of a better nation.

Borrowing the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” Chief Clark did more than a little bit of good. He overwhelmed Nigeria with his principled firmness, unrelenting advocacy, and passionate love for justice. His was a trumpet unmuted, from the creeks of the Niger Delta to the exalted halls of the Federal Executive Council. A patriot beyond measure, he walked among kings and presidents, yet never lost touch with the common citizen.

As President Barack Obama once said, “A change is brought about because ordinary people do extraordinary things.” Chief Clark was anything but ordinary. His extraordinary life was intricately woven into the tapestry of Nigeria’s post-independence history. Through every season of our national evolution, he stood, firm, fearless, and faithful to his calling.

Under the open Abuja sky, Nigerians gathered, not in sorrow alone, but in solemn remembrance of a man who defined an era. At a commemorative event that reflected the diversity and dignity of his life, Professor Mike Ozekhome delivered a memorial lecture that resonated like the sacred chants of a griot, articulate, passionate, and steeped in historical insight.

One after another, national icons stepped forward, each offering heartfelt tributes that together formed a tapestry of reverence. Their voices captured the width and breadth of Clark’s influence:

1. Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, with diplomatic grace and deep cultural insight.

2. Chief John Nnia Nwodo, invoking ancestral unity.

3. Chief Olusola Ebiseni, championing unity in diversity.

4. Chief Okey Nwadinobi, embracing pan-African solidarity.

5. Dame Mrs. Patience Jonathan, symbolizing maternal dignity.

6. Dr. Bitrus Pogu, holding high the torch of the Middle Belt.

7. Dr. Kingsley Kuku, a son of the struggle, mentored by Clark.

8. Former President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, whose presidency bore Clark’s mentoring imprint.

9. General Yakubu Gowon, under whom Nigeria’s fragile unity was nurtured.

10. His Excellency Labaran Maku, reflecting Clark’s journalistic legacy.

11. His Excellency Namadi Sambo, voicing vice-presidential respect.

12. Madam Annkio Briggs, a fiery river-daughter speaking the language of liberation.

13. Major General I. B. Haruna, honoring the elder’s civic truth with military sincerity.

14. His Excellency Obong Victor Attah, a federalist beacon.

15. Professor Benjamin Okaba, the steward of Ijaw nationalism.

16. Professor Jerry Gana, blending faith and statesmanship.

17. Professor Steve Azaiki, merging academic brilliance with activism.

18. Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, whose political DNA reflects Clark’s guidance.

19. Senator Ibok Essien, carrying the South-South flame with pride.

20. Senator John Azuta Mbata, continuing legislative legacies.

21. Sir Peter Obi, the face of principled leadership for a new generation.

22. Sunday James, Assistant Comptroller General of Immigration, reflecting institutional respect.

23. Mrs. Farida Waziri, former EFCC Chair, whose anti-corruption stance found a kindred soul in Clark.

24. Mrs. Ruth Gbenemieseigha-Opia, a torchbearer for the next generation of nationalists.

From every corner of our nation, the Senate chambers and village squares, the military ranks and market stalls, the corridors of power and the humble homes, voices rose. Senators and soldiers, governors and griots, ministers, mothers, elders, and youth alike. They did not speak as fragments of tribe, creed, gender, or class, but as one united chorus of a grateful nation.

In a rare and sacred harmony, they echoed a single, immutable truth: Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, you were our North Star – guiding us through the fog of uncertainty, anchoring us in principle, and reminding us of our unfinished journey toward equity and justice. You were the voice that thundered when silence became complicity. You championed the crusade for the RESTRUCTURING of Nigeria – not as a fleeting political slogan, but as a moral imperative. You insisted that fairness must replace favoritism, that TRUE FEDERALISM must rise from the ashes of central dominance, and that no region, no people, should live as strangers in their own land.

Through your words and indomitable courage, you gave voice to the voiceless and dignity to the ignored. And even now, as your voice returns to eternity, your convictions reverberate through generations, stirring the conscience of a nation still wrestling with its identity. Chief Clark, you were not merely a man of your time, you were a guardian of our national soul, the custodian of a vision still unfolding.

Pope Francis once said, “A good elder is a treasure for a people.” Indeed, Chief Clark was Nigeria’s treasure, a moral elder whose presence compelled honesty, demanded justice, and inspired unity. In honoring him, Nigeria honored her own conscience.

As President John F. Kennedy once noted, “A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors.” Today, as we honor Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, we reveal the soul of a nation that still hopes, still believes, and still dreams.

Let the world take note: in an age plagued by fleeting fame and shallow pursuits, Nigeria produced a man who bore his name like armor and his people like a banner. He was the Lion of Kiagbodo, the Eagle of the Niger, the Sage of the South, and the Conscience of Africa.

And so, I close not with finality, but with eternal affirmation: “Sleep on, Baba Clark, like the moon behind the clouds. You have not vanished, you are simply shining from another side.” May your legacy rise like the sun each morning. And may your truth echo forever in the hearts of generations yet unborn.

Professor (Amb.) Mondy Gold, FCILG, FEBS, INHF, CFP

President of the Ijaw Diaspora Council

Recipient of the United States President’s Lifetime Achievement Award