NDDC mourns as former MD, Nsima Ekere losses father

PORT HARCOURT, Rivers, Nigeria – The Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, led by the Interim Administrator, Mr. Efiong Akwa, has commiserated with the former Managing Director of the Commission, Mr Nsima Ekere, and his family over the death of his father, Obong Gabriel Sampson Ekere.

The NDDC delegation, which included directors of the Commission, paid a condolence visit to the Ekere family, headed by Professor Aniekan Ekere, a retired professor of medicine, University of Port Harcourt, at Edemaya Clan in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State.

A Press Release issued by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Dr Ibitoye Abosede, noted that the late Obong Ekere, who died at the age of 90, was a renowned school teacher and community leader.

The NDDC Chief Executive Officer eulogized the late Ekere, describing him as a model family man and a great Nigerian. He stated: “Obong Gabriel Sampson Ekere left a great legacy and I must say that Akwa Ibom and Nigeria lost a great man. He has left behind capable children such as the former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State and MD of NDDC.”

Akwa remarked that the departed educationist, who spent many decades of his life teaching, mentoring and serving the country and his community, also served the Methodist Church to the best of his ability. He urged the surviving children of the late Ekere to continue to keep the flag flying. “They should keep the family bond together,” Akwa advised.

The NDDC boss said that he would ensure that the renovation of the primary school in the late Ekere’s community was captured in the emergency budget of the Commission, “so that we can intervene in the school in memory of the diseased, who was a lover of education and a headmaster of a school.”

Responding, Mr Ekere, former NDDC boss, commended the Commission for remembering him and his family as they mourned the passing of their father. He said: “I am happy to be associated with NDDC and I congratulate the Interim Administrator for the successful completion of the Commission’s new headquarters.”

He recalled that when he started work, he found out that the only way forward for the project was to terminate it and re-award it to a new contractor. He thanked the Interim Administrator for insisting on the completion of the project.

He appealed to the NDDC to do something about some uncompleted projects in his community, regretting that the Edemaya Bridge was stalled because of faulty design, which was corrected before he left office as Managing Director.

Speaking on behalf of the Ekere family, the deceased eldest son and chief mourner, Professor Aniekan Ekere, remarked that the death of their father on Thursday, June 3, 2021, was sudden and took the family by surprise.

He said: “Our father lived a courageous, graceful and impactful life with a distinguished career that spanned over five decades as a revered school teacher, sports administrator, public servant and community leader.”

Prof.  Ekere observed that his late father was passionate about the Methodist Church, education of the youth, prosperity and wellbeing of mankind and thus invested his energy, love and resources to building people. The chief mourner said that the patriarch of the Ekere family, Sir Gabriel Sampson Ekere would be buried on Saturday, September 11, 2021.