Amid torrential downpours on Friday, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, Senator Ede Dafinone, representing Delta Central Senatorial District, and a host of other dignitaries from far and near stormed Oginibo country-home of late Chief Kenneth Gbagi to bid him farewell.
The erstwhile Minister of State for Education, Chief Gbagi, who passed on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at 62, had his remains laid to rest at his Oginibo, Ughievwen Kingdom, in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta.
Gbagi was the Delta State governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 general elections who gave other governorship candidates in the state a run for their money.
Dignitaries in attendance at Oginibo for the interment included the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Emomotimi Guwor; SDP Presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo; Chief Judge of Delta State, Hon. Justice Theresa Diai; Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekeme Ohwovoriole (SAN); immediate past Senator representing Delta South, Senator James Manager; and former President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick.
Others were the Deputy Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Arthur Akpowowo; member representing Ughelli South in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Festus Utuana; former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Alexander Ogomudia (retd.); former Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung; Senator Ugochukwu Uba from Anambra State; Mr. Mustapha Alfa, SDP Governorship candidate in Nasarawa State; Prince Temienor Oghenekevwe, SDP candidate for Ughelli South Constituency in the 2023 elections to the Delta State House of Assembly; in 2023; Olorogun Austin Emafuku, President-General of Udu Kingdom, and the Delta Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, among others.
The Catholic Bishop of Warri Diocese, Most Rev. Anthony Ovayero Ehwerido, represented by the Very Revd. Fr. Ambrose Oghenejode Abaka, in his message, described the late Chief Gbagi as a generous man who was handy for distressed people within and outside the country.
Revd. Fr. Abaka said the news of Chief Gbagi’s sudden demise was a rude shock to many people, adding that he was an erudite scholar of immense repute.
The cleric disclosed that the deceased was a servant-leader in the authority of Christ, saying; “we are gathered here as a family in communion with God to seek God’s grace and mercy on his soul.”
The Catholic priest harped on the need for peace and unity among the people in the Niger Delta in order to advance sustainable socioeconomic growth and development in the region.
“We need unity in the Niger Delta to advance sustainable development in the region.
“Before now, Burutu port was working but today, Burutu and Warri ports are no longer working.
“Crude oil is extracted from the Niger Delta but most oil companies have their offices in Lagos. We need unity to reposition the region,” he said.
“Without unity, no meaningful development could be achieved,” he warned.
A top political aide to Gbagi, Prince Temienor Oghenekevwe, in his tribute, vowed to consolidate the legacy of the deceased politician cum entrepreneur.
Oghenekevwe, SDP candidate for Ughelli South Constituency in the 2023 elections to the Delta State House of Assembly, averred that Chief Gbagi was a success in all aspects of life.
“His legacies will be sustained in Delta and across the country at large. But more importantly, we want to build on the good foundation he has laid in politics.
“Gbagi lived a life of integrity and was a firm pillar of support for the party till his death.
“He was a father, mentor and great leader who left the most invaluable asset of a good name.
“We worked with him while he was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a governorship aspirant, but could not make it as the candidacy of PDP and he was frustrated out of the party, those were his very challenging moments.
“What we appreciate about him was his persistence and strong determination.
“He left PDP a few days to the party’s primary election and won the governorship candidate ticket of our great party (SDP) in the March 2023 governorship elections. After the elections, he fought so gallantly for what he believed.
“In all, he never resorted to any form of illegality; he was firm and relied so much on the instrument of law.
“Politically, Gbagi was successful; he made history in all ramifications of life before his departure.
“Gbagi appreciated and associated with people of integrity, credibility and accountability and that was a critical factor leading to his emergence as a leader in the Delta political terrain which also restored people’s trust and confidence in leadership,” he affirmed.