Our-heart-felt-condolences-to-the-family-of-maj- Gen-orho-obada
September 7, 2020 | News
OUR HEART-FELT CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF MAJ. GEN. ORHO OBADA
It is with shock that I read in an online news that Major General Orho Obada, who was in his 80s, is dead. The first person I called to confirm the death is Obukowho David Obada, his youngest son. This is really a sad blow to the Urhobo nation.
It was precisely on the 1st of January 2020, that my wife, little daughter, Barr Doris Ejinyere and myself went to visit this great eminent Urhobo man, and he was very happy to receive me and the family, as he entertained me with a "kolanut wedge" so that the kolanut will not roll and a bottle of gin, soft drinks, as Urhobo custom demands. He then asked his cook to bring suya beef for us. While we were there, Obada called his youngest son, Obukowho David Obada, to support the kolanut, and Obukowho did so, as well as one of his younger sisters that was around there, and also some of his close associates who were there too. They all supported the kolanut as Urhobo custom demands.
I had met Major General Orho Obada around November 2019 in Sheraton Hotel Lagos in the company of Mr Goodie Ibru at a dinner. It was then he actually invited me to see him in his country home town at Orho-Agbarho main town, Ughelli North LGA. In my receiving the drinks and "kolanut wedge", I noted that Obada was the last of the greatest Urhobo eminent persons that was still living, and I advised his children and close Associates to emulate him, learn from his wealth of experience, and what he stood for, which is the Progress of the Urhobo people, irrespective of clans and kingdoms. Though, I told his associates with him on that day that I don't flatter people, and I say things the way they are.
In our discussion that day, he received a long telephone call, after which he told me in his living parlour that the telephone call was from Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Military Head of state, and that he was the one who recruited him in the military as a cadet. He also told me he was in the Nigerian Airforce as an Airforce officer, and later converted to the army. He noted that in those days, they could convert to any unit of the Nigeria Armed Military Forces. It was only yesterday,Saturday 13th June 2020 that I thought of this great Urhobo man, and I said I would try and see him again because since January this year, I have not seen him. Though, he is in my circulation list, and was used to read my WhatsApp messages very fast. Within five minutes, he would read his WhatsApp messages. Unlike other eminent Nigerians that I know that don't read.
Obada, I was told, was also a former Acting Chief of Airforce Staff for about a year. He was one of the greatest Urhobo eminent personalities. Yet, he was a simple man. During the time when Shell(SPDC) operations was active in the Western division, he supported to resolve burning issues between host communities and Shell(SPDC) then, and was always an active participant in Shell annual stakeholders workshop, which was always holding in PTI conference centre then. I actually got to know him and Justice Ovie-Whiskey, former Chairman of Federal Electoral Commission (FEDCO), which is now known as INEC. Obada's death will create a lot of gaps in Urhobo nation that will be difficult to fill because the majority of this crop of this generation of leaders in Urhobo land, are greedy, corrupt and hungry for power without the will to develop the Urhobo nation and Delta State. All they know is to grab as much as they can. Obada was also a former Federal Commissioner (Minister) of works, but I don't know of any estates owned by him. If he were this present crop of politicians, he would have owned estates of high-rise buildings/mansions all over the country. He would have acquired all the Agbarho land for himself and family. He would have acquired all the land in Bendel Estate now known as Delta Estate (DDPA) in Ugborikoko Effurun -Warri. He would have acquired most land in Ikoyi and Victoria Island in Lagos, as a former federal Minister of Works. But he was a detrabilized man, easy going and simple in dressing. He didn't move in entourage or retinue of escort of security vehicles back and front.
He was a great Nigerian, and I will miss him greatly. Obada also told me he built the Eko bridge as the former Minister of Works. He was a no-nonsense man, who was frank and sincere, and he was not intoxicated with power and influence/contacts/connections.
I had planned to visit him to learn more from him, but was unable to do so before his death.
We have indeed lost the last greatest eminent Urhobo leader. Obada was the current Chairman, Board of Trustee of the apex socio-cultural umbrella body of the Urhobo Nation, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU). Obada's death is a great loss to the entire Urhobo nation, Delta State and Nigeria. And may God, in His infinite mercy give the family to bear this irreplaceable loss.
Zik Gbemre.
June 14, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
It is with shock that I read in an online news that Major General Orho Obada, who was in his 80s, is dead. The first person I called to confirm the death is Obukowho David Obada, his youngest son. This is really a sad blow to the Urhobo nation.
It was precisely on the 1st of January 2020, that my wife, little daughter, Barr Doris Ejinyere and myself went to visit this great eminent Urhobo man, and he was very happy to receive me and the family, as he entertained me with a "kolanut wedge" so that the kolanut will not roll and a bottle of gin, soft drinks, as Urhobo custom demands. He then asked his cook to bring suya beef for us. While we were there, Obada called his youngest son, Obukowho David Obada, to support the kolanut, and Obukowho did so, as well as one of his younger sisters that was around there, and also some of his close associates who were there too. They all supported the kolanut as Urhobo custom demands.
I had met Major General Orho Obada around November 2019 in Sheraton Hotel Lagos in the company of Mr Goodie Ibru at a dinner. It was then he actually invited me to see him in his country home town at Orho-Agbarho main town, Ughelli North LGA. In my receiving the drinks and "kolanut wedge", I noted that Obada was the last of the greatest Urhobo eminent persons that was still living, and I advised his children and close Associates to emulate him, learn from his wealth of experience, and what he stood for, which is the Progress of the Urhobo people, irrespective of clans and kingdoms. Though, I told his associates with him on that day that I don't flatter people, and I say things the way they are.
In our discussion that day, he received a long telephone call, after which he told me in his living parlour that the telephone call was from Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Military Head of state, and that he was the one who recruited him in the military as a cadet. He also told me he was in the Nigerian Airforce as an Airforce officer, and later converted to the army. He noted that in those days, they could convert to any unit of the Nigeria Armed Military Forces. It was only yesterday,Saturday 13th June 2020 that I thought of this great Urhobo man, and I said I would try and see him again because since January this year, I have not seen him. Though, he is in my circulation list, and was used to read my WhatsApp messages very fast. Within five minutes, he would read his WhatsApp messages. Unlike other eminent Nigerians that I know that don't read.
Obada, I was told, was also a former Acting Chief of Airforce Staff for about a year. He was one of the greatest Urhobo eminent personalities. Yet, he was a simple man. During the time when Shell(SPDC) operations was active in the Western division, he supported to resolve burning issues between host communities and Shell(SPDC) then, and was always an active participant in Shell annual stakeholders workshop, which was always holding in PTI conference centre then. I actually got to know him and Justice Ovie-Whiskey, former Chairman of Federal Electoral Commission (FEDCO), which is now known as INEC. Obada's death will create a lot of gaps in Urhobo nation that will be difficult to fill because the majority of this crop of this generation of leaders in Urhobo land, are greedy, corrupt and hungry for power without the will to develop the Urhobo nation and Delta State. All they know is to grab as much as they can. Obada was also a former Federal Commissioner (Minister) of works, but I don't know of any estates owned by him. If he were this present crop of politicians, he would have owned estates of high-rise buildings/mansions all over the country. He would have acquired all the Agbarho land for himself and family. He would have acquired all the land in Bendel Estate now known as Delta Estate (DDPA) in Ugborikoko Effurun -Warri. He would have acquired most land in Ikoyi and Victoria Island in Lagos, as a former federal Minister of Works. But he was a detrabilized man, easy going and simple in dressing. He didn't move in entourage or retinue of escort of security vehicles back and front.
He was a great Nigerian, and I will miss him greatly. Obada also told me he built the Eko bridge as the former Minister of Works. He was a no-nonsense man, who was frank and sincere, and he was not intoxicated with power and influence/contacts/connections.
I had planned to visit him to learn more from him, but was unable to do so before his death.
We have indeed lost the last greatest eminent Urhobo leader. Obada was the current Chairman, Board of Trustee of the apex socio-cultural umbrella body of the Urhobo Nation, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU). Obada's death is a great loss to the entire Urhobo nation, Delta State and Nigeria. And may God, in His infinite mercy give the family to bear this irreplaceable loss.
Zik Gbemre.
June 14, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes