RAJAB 5, 1429 A.H.
TUESDAY JULY 8 2008
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Melford Okilo, former Rivers governor dies at 75
Former Governor of old Rivers state, Chief Melford Obiene Okilo is dead.
He was said to have died at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa on Saturday after a protracted ailment.
Dr Aranye Okilo, the deceased's younger brother confirmed that the death Okilo senior to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone.
He said his elder brother died at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, adding that his body had been deposited at an undisclosed hospital mortuary in Port Harcourt.
Okilo had last year been flown to the United States for treatment but was later returned home.
NAN recalls that sometime in 2005 when incumbent Vice President Goodluck Jonathan was governor of Bayelsa, it was rumoured that Okilo had died.
Okilo later debunked the reports of his death, saying he was only resting.
He was the governor of old Rivers between 1979 and 1983 before the retired Gen. Muhammadu Buhari coup that overthrew the Alhaji Shehu Shagari's administration.
The late Okilo, a lawyer and politician, was born on November 30, 1933 at Amakalakala, Brass, Rivers state and married Felicia Ogbara in 1971.
Their marriage was blessed with six children. Between 1956 and 1959, he was a member of Parliament and served as the Parliamentary Secretary between 1959 and 1964.
Other political offices held by the late Okilo included member, Constituent Assembly (1977-78), Chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Rivers state branch (1978-1983), member and senator-elect under the PDP in 1999.
He was given the national honour of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1983 by former President Shehu Shagari.
Commenting on his death, Prof. Kimse Okoko, President, Ijaw National Congress (INC), in a telephone chat with NAN, described late Chief Okilo as a great patriot.
Okoko said Okilo was very humble and served the nation to the best of his ability.
He said Okilo was worthy of emulation in the Niger Delta and the Nigerian nation at large.
