Ovie Okpare, Warri
Niger Delta leaders including Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on Thursday condoled with the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom over the demise of Chief Thomas Ekpemupolo, the father of the embattled ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, otherwise called Tompolo.
Tompolo’s father died on Wednesday at a private hospital in Warri, Delta State, owing to an injury he sustained during the military invasion of his residence in May, 2016, in Kurutie, Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state.
Clark, a former Federal Commissioner of Information, described the late Ekpemupolo as a man of peace, whose patriotism to the Ijaw ethnic nationality remained unquestionable.
He appealed to the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom to remain calm and be peaceful, following the incident. He added that Tompolo father’s death was the people’s sacrifice for peace in the Niger Delta.
While commiserating with the deceased family, he called on the Federal Government to immediately withdraw troops from the region, especially now that the militants had agreed to a ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government.
Clark said, “It is a painful loss to the Ijaw nation, considering the manner he (Tompolo’s father) died. He was a very quiet and peaceful man. He was a patriotic Ijaw man. We’ll greatly miss him. I’m using the medium to call Gbaramatu people to remain calm in the face of what has happened.”
Also grieved by Tompolo’s father’s death is the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Kingsley Otuaro. He described his death as a great loss to the Ijaw nation.
In a condolence statement sent to our correspondent, Otuaro condoled with HRM Oboro-Gbaraun II, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom and Ekpemupolo’s family, urging them to be “comforted in the Lord.”
