The Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, Governor Dapo Abiodun, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Chief Edwin Clark, the leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), who passed away on Monday at the age of 97.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Governor Abiodun described Clark’s death as a “profound loss to Nigeria” and hailed it as “a glorious conclusion of a monumental chapter in Nigerian history.”
According to the governor, the late PANDEF leader was one of the greatest figures ever produced by the South-South geopolitical zone of the country, and arguably the “most engaging voice for the redressing of decades of exploitation and marginalization of the Niger Delta peoples.”
“The exit of the foremost nationalist, educationist, legal practitioner, freedom fighter, and restructuring advocate marks an era that can never be forgotten,” Abiodun said.
He further reflected on Clark’s remarkable legacy, noting that “whatever sorrow the exit of the foremost Ijaw leader springs has been tempered by the giant strides he left in various sectors of the Nigerian national life and the unimpeachable accomplishments he achieved in about 70 years of distinguished national service.”
Governor Abiodun emphasized that “the exit of Pa Edwin Kiagbodo Clark at 97 marks a watershed in Nigerian history,” highlighting that Clark “was simply a personification of Nigerian history” who lived through the struggles and triumphs of the colonial, Independence, and post-independence eras.
“His activities during the pre-independence period when he was elected as Councillor for Bomadi in 1953 and during his stint with the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), not forgetting his deeply intellectual posture as a member of the West African Students’ Union while a student at Holborn College, London, marks him out as a patriot without compare,” Abiodun said.
The governor went on to recount Clark’s distinguished service in various leadership roles, including his time as a member of an advisory committee to the military governor of the Mid-Western Region, David Ejoor, and his appointment as Federal Commissioner of Information by General Yakubu Gowon in 1975.
Abiodun also praised Clark’s instrumental role as commissioner for education, where he helped establish the Mid-West College of Technology, which later became the University of Benin.
“Despite his advancing years, Chief Clark readily and consistently wrote letters to critical organs of the Nigerian State whenever he saw dangerous signals in the polity. He will be sorely missed,” Abiodun remarked.
The governor also noted Clark’s unwavering commitment to the restructuring of the Nigerian polity and his constant advocacy for peace.
“He was a courageous fighter till literally his last breath, galvanizing the Southern and Middle Belt peoples for the restructuring of the Nigerian polity and preaching peace at all times. He was indeed a patriot of the finest breed,” Abiodun concluded.
