Pa Okowa Takes Final Glorious Ride Home Today

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Today, Saturday August 21, 2021 the traditional kingdom of Owa, and the peaceful town of Owa-Alero in particular, is set to witness a momentous and historic event with the final passage rites being conducted for Sir (Chief) Arthur Okorie Okowa, the late father of the Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa. Tagged as ‘Celebration of Life’ in honour of the late retired educationist and community leader, the decision by the governor to put on hold the social outing or public celebration of departure of his father until seven months later was neither whimsical nor opportunistic, writes Omon-Julius Onabu in this piece.

Delta State would be practically standing still today with Owa-Alero in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State assumes the cynosure of all social and cultural attention as the quiet and peaceful town in Owa kingdom hosts thousands of people from far and near to the official burial ceremony for an illustrious son and resounding harbinger of progress and development. The town, which has in a few decades bourgeoned into an urban centre with all the metropolitan trappings of a modern city, has for several weeks been blowing like a beautiful damsel awaiting the formal visit of a royal suitor. From the adjoining areas of Boji-Boji Agbor in Ika South to Owa-Oyibu, the administrative headquarters of Ika North-East, the whole undulating strech of land has since assumed the posture of a scenic tourist layout. Needless to say, Asaba International Airport has since become a beehive as dignitaries have continually poured into town with reports of hotels in Agbor, Asaba and adjoining Okpanam being fully booked.

Sir (Chief) Arthur Okorie Okowa, the father of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State passed away in January this year at the Federal Medical Centre in Asaba the state capital. The his son, the governor, on Thursday, January 28, 2021, had personally broken the news to the world of the transition of the patriarch of the Okowa family at the age of 88 years. Although, he was committed to mother Earth in February, the usual social activities associated with such high-profile burial ceremony could not take place until today due to the then ravaging Coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, for those knowledgeable about the strong filial bond which existed between the incumbent Delta State chief executive officer and his late father, the decision to postpone what is known in local.parlance as ‘social outing’ was far from being a politically motivated or prodigal social jamboree.

The late Pa Okowa was not only a renowned teacher and community who earned himself several respected traditional titles in Owa Kingdom and other areas, he was also a thoroughbred politician. His political activities and exploits were well-known, not only in Ika and Anioma area but across the length and breadth of the them Bendel State and beyond, especially in the days of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) headed by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

By his own admission, Governor Okowa was painstakingly taught the rudiments of politics by his father, which culminated in his venturing successfully into politics starting from the local government council level where the young medical doctor was a supervisory councillor and local government council chairman. And, despite the vexacious hiccups that characterized the political landscape in Nigeria following the serial interventions in the nation’s politics by fidgeting military regime, the physician-turned politician bounced back in 1999 with renewed vigour and enthusiasm. He subsequently served as civil commissioner in two different ministries, and was also the secretary to the state government before his election into the Nigerian Senate in 2011.

As a professional educationist, the late Pa Arthur Okowa was both meticulous and purposeful, not only in the in his earlier days in the classroom and as an administrator but he was true to type in the home as well. Watching him speaking with so much conviction and candour during the maiden Delta State Education Summit in 2016 at Asaba, which brought together some of the countries seasoned educational Eggheads and administrators, the late Sir Okowa left none in doubt as to how passionate he was about education. He was then 84!

The youthful Mr Wisdom Okowa, who is the youngest of Governor Okowa’s siblings, put succinctly in a recent interview with this reporter, when he said that their late father’s commitment to education was legendary. Fortunately, their mother, the late Victoria (Victory) Okowa, perfectly complemented his efforts.

“My parents made sure that we can speak our local language, or the Ika dialect. And, my dad being a teacher – may his soul rest in peace – also made sure our English was good. Today, I am so happy and so proud that I can speak my own language. But the kids of today….Even when they try to learn the local language, some parents get upset. They don’t want their children to know how to speak their local language. All they want want is for their kids to speak the white man’s language. They don’t even want to give them traditional names”, Wisdom Okowa said while harping on the crucial role of parents in building a progressive society.

Therefore, today’s event is certainly worthy of its label, the Celebration of Life. Through his personal vision, passion and commitment, a truly illustrious son of Ika and Anioma has been thrown up from Owa Kingdom for Delta and Nigeria at lage like a bright star that has illuminated the enter environment, pointing the way forward for a people that were practically peering through the dreary darkness.

Thus, when the Governor Okowa expressed the desire of his family to ‘hold a private burial’ for his late father, Sir Arthur Okorie Okowa, the patriarch of the Okowa’s family of Owa-Alero in February, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Deltans generally showed understanding.

And, in a statement signed by him, the governor disclosed that a public reception to celebrate the life of his late father would hold later in the year in August, with the hope that the curve of the Coronavirus infection would have dipped remarkably by then.

“In view of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, we have opted to hold a private burial ceremony for my late father (in February) while a celebration of life event will take place on August 21, 2021”, Dr. Okowa stated.

The governor added: “Hopefully, by then, the current challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic would have given way to a freer and more assured environment. On behalf of the Okowa family of Owa-Alero, Ika North-East Local Government Area, I wish to thank all those who have taken time to commiserate with us on the death of my beloved father, Sir Arthur Okorie Okowa.

“My siblings and I are deeply grateful for the show of solidarity, which have, in no small measure, helped us to cope with Papa’s passing. Although he died at what may be considered a good old age, the death of someone so dear cannot but leave one with a sense of void.

“My late father was a strong pillar of support all through my political/public service career. I drew immeasurably from his fountain of knowledge and wisdom, and he was very passionate about the growth and development of our beloved state. As a family, we will greatly miss his physical fellowship, but we thank God that he lived a good and fulfilled life; he has etched his name in gold with his legacy of hard work, selfless service, discipline, godliness, love for others, community, and passion for positive, lasting change.”

The late Sir Athur Okowa was a devout Christian of the Anglican faith and was honoured with the knighthood of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).

He also held the traditional title of the Ojenyagbe of Owa Kingdom, aside being the ‘Okparan’ of his village (Idumuebor). Incidentally, the Obi of Owa Kingdom, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor II, is the current Chairman, Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers.

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