Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, has commiserated with Rivers State Government over the death of its Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr. Emmanuel Aguma.
Mr. Aguma died in a London hospital on August 10 after battling undisclosed illness for weeks.
A statement by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ibitoye Abosede, said Sen. Ndoma-Egba described Aguma as “a true professional who contributed immensely to the development of the Niger Delta.”
He made the statement when he paid a condolence visit to Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
The NDDC chairman said: “The late attorney-general was not just a friend but he was a brother and a professional to the core who had very deep insight.
“The passing on of Aguma is not just a loss to Rivers state, it is a loss to the Niger Delta region because, he (Aguma), was an outstanding legal professional from the region.”
Ndoma-Egba told the governor that NDDC management and staff were citizens of the state due to the fact that the commission’s headquarters is in Port Harcourt.
“As a commission, we have come to formally register our condolences to you (Wike), the immediate family of Aguma and to the people of Rivers State.
“We pray that having done his bit on this side of existence, he will find eternal rest in the bosom of his maker.”
According to him, the absence of the late commissioner for justice did not go unnoticed during a meeting of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that recently held in Port Harcourt.
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He said the absence of the deceased legal giant was uncharacteristic of his person being a passionate and very active member of the association.
Responding, Wike described Aguma’s death as a big loss to the people of the region, adding that he was “a committed, loyal and intelligent lawyer.”
He said further: “We thank God for the quality of life that Aguma lived while on earth. We thank NDDC for the condolence visit and urge the commission to participate in his funeral.
“The government and people of Rivers State will honour the late attorney-general by giving him a state burial as his contributions were greater than his age.”
According to the statement, other board members who accompanied the commission’s chairman on the condolence visit included its Managing Director, Mr. Nsima Ekere, and the Executive Director, Projects, Dr Samuel Adjobe.
