BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI & SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN CITY—TWO time Governor of old Bendel state, Dr Samuel Ogbemudia, Police Affairs Minister, Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade, and former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, have joined other Nigerians in mourning the death of former Military Vice-President, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu.

They described his death as an institutional loss to the Nigerian Navy in particular and nation in general.

In a statement entitled “Death of a loyalist”, Dr Ogbemudia said “Augustus always exuded buoyant health each time we met and his death was a fresh occasion for us to collectively challenge the rampaging scourge of cancer in our society.

“It was remarkable that Edo State which he helped to create in 1991 is turning 20 at a time of his death. Although he would not be available to celebrate the event, the successes the state has so far achieved are garlands to his memory.

“I recall that while in office, Admiral Aikhomu took special interest in my efforts as sole administrator of Nigeria Railways. Thus, when we locally put together the first locomotive (IBB Revolution 1), I invited him to ride on it at the Kaduna trade fair. Today, I pay tribute to Admiral Aikhomu as a man of great local patriotism and deep Nigerian nationalism”.