Atiku Abubakar, 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has reacted to the death of Prof. Chukuka Okonjo, father of Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
The death of Okonjo, 91, was announced in a statement released by Okonjo-Iweala’s spokesperson, Paul Nwabuikwu.
He died in Lagos after arriving from a trip to the United States of America.
The statement signed Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, who served in the former Jonathan government, read: “On behalf of my siblings and relatives of the Umu Obi Obahai Royal Family of Ogwashi-Uku, I announce the passing of my father, Obi Professor Chukuka Okonjo, the immediate past Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State at the age of 91.
“He died in Lagos soon after he arrived from a trip to the United States of America and Ghana. We are immensely grateful that his last moments were peaceful and that he died the same way he lived his life – with quiet dignity.
“Daddy was an accomplished man on so many levels – a highly respected academic, international public servant, university administrator, intellectual and traditional ruler. He held: BSc Mathematics, London, UK; Msc Mathematics, Erlangen, Germany; MSc Economics, Erlangen, Germany; Phd Mathematical Statistics, Cologne, Germany.”
Reacting to the death, Atiku tweeted on his official Twitter page on Friday, “Obi Prof Chukuka Okonjo, immediate past Obi of Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State, was a man of many parts. He left behind indelible footprints. On behalf of my family, I condole with Dr (Mrs) @NOIweala on the loss of her dear father. May his soul rest in eternal peace.”
