By Gbenga Abulude (Politics and General desk)
A former Deputy Governor of Delta State, Mr Simeon Ebonka is dead. Ebonka died on Wednesday, September 23 at the age of 77.
He was the deputy Governor to late Chief Felix Ibru who governed the state from 1992-1993. Ebonka, who hails from Owa-Alizomor in Ika North East Local Government Area, passed on in the early hours of Wednesday after a brief illness.
Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, while reacting to the demise of the first elected Deputy Governor of the state, noted that the fatherly counsel of the elder statesman would be greatly missed by the Ika nation.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, Okowa condoled with the people of Ika Nation and Owa-Alizomor community in particular, over the demise of the renowned politician and evangelist.
He said the deceased was an elder statesman whose fatherly role and wise counseling would be missed by his political family and Ika nation. Okowa noted that Ebonka was a man of peace and an administrator, who excelled as deputy governor of the state during the short time the administration lasted.
The governor prayed to God to accept the deceased’s soul and grant fortitude to the family and friends he left behind to bear the loss.
“On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I mourn the passing of our beloved elder statesman and first Deputy Governor of Delta, Mr Simeon Ebonka.
“He was a very peaceful man who loved his people and served them to the best of his ability. The news of his death came to me as a shock for he was a perfect gentleman-politician, who distinguished himself in the service of his people and Delta.
“In the formative years of our great state, he played active roles in putting the government in place and will be long remembered for the great things he did for the state,” he said.
