Immediate past governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday commiserated with the family of Prof Kimse Okoko, over the death of his son, Keniebi Okoko.
Dickson also condoled with the wife of the late politician and his Obunagha community, the Gbarain Clan, Bayelsa State.
He described his death as painful and sad, adding that he left indelible marks in the world of business and politics at a young age of 42.
The politician died at a Lagos hospital on Tuesday.
He said, “Keniebi was somebody we all had a lot of hope in; he proved to be an open-minded, accommodating, large-hearted, understanding political leader that I encouraged to be under my wing henceforth for political grooming and support.
“My family and I are pained and I have made a lot of calls to our leaders. Everybody is pained and we should take it as bad as it is as what God has done. Nobody can question Him.”
Dickson said the period of COVID 19 was a particularly trying period for Bayelsa with the death of prominent politician George Fente, and the loss of the wife of Senator Ben Murray Bruce to cancer in the US and the painful death of Okoko.
He called on Bayelsans and the Ijaw nation to give the requisite support to the Governor and his team during this challenging period of the COVID19 induced lockdown.
The former Governor also urged all Bayelsans and indeed the Ijaw nation to pray against a recurrence of such painful deaths in the state.
The Governor who prayed for the repose of the soul of the late Okoko also prayed to God to give the grieving family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
He stressed that Okoko’s death was a heavy blow to Bayelsa and indeed the Ijaw nation.
Also, a former Secretary to Bayelsa State Government and Governorship aspirant of the PDP, Kemela Okara mourned the “untimely, painful and shocking passing to glory of Mr Keniebi Okoko”.
According to him: “Mr Keniebi Okoko was a younger brother whom I admired tremendously because of his love for God, love for his family and passion for the development of our dear State. At 42 years of age, clearly Keniebi had so much still to offer his family, Bayelsa State and Nigeria by way of purposeful leadership.
“As a political leader in our immediate constituency i.e. Yenagoa Constituency 2 of the Yenagoa Local Government Area your passing to glory leaves a huge political vacuum.
“We pray that our God will comfort the immediate and wider Okoko family at this very trying and painful time”.
