Jonathan, Sambo visit Oronto Douglas family

ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo have visited the Abuja residence of Mr. Oronto Douglas, special adviser on research, documentation and strategy, who died Thursday morning in Abuja.

Vice President Sambo said “This is a very sad day for us. We have lost a very good friend, a brother and a patriotic Nigerian. He is a person of integrity, a patriot and we pray to Almighty God that his soul shall rest in perfect peace.

“We pray that the family he left behind will have the fortitude to bear this great loss. Nigeria has lost a very good man, a person that has contributed positively to the development of this country.”

President Jonathan said “It is quite a sad moment even though we saw it coming. Myself and Douglas are from the same local government in Bayelsa State. I knew him first when I was doing my Ph.D research work, then he was environmental rights activist. I was doing research on some aspects of the ecology of the Niger Delta and my supervisor then one Canadian, Prof. Powell knew him and we met in his house.

“But when I came into politics as a deputy governor he was the commissioner for information then and we were very close. He came with me as my adviser as vice president ‎on research, documentation and strategy, a post he held until this morning.

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“He is a very dedicated young man, very committed. I was here last Saturday even though he knew (about what was going to happen) because the doctors told him in America that he was going to die in three weeks but he was still very passionate about his work. I have never seen such a person with such a strong will.

“Oronto was a good man, he left us too early but God knows the best. I only pray that God should provide for the family and pray that his soul should rest in peace”

“Some of the early callers at Douglas’ house were former governor of Bayelsa State, Dipreye Alamieyesigha‎, who described the late Douglas as someone who never slacked in any assignments he was given.
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“We have been praying and trusting God for miracle. There are a lot of things we did behind the scenes together to strengthen this government, he never slacked on any assignment given him. When he served as Commissioner for Information during my government, he was always meticulous and turned in his assignments on time”.

‎The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, said Douglas was a great thinker that would be greatly missed.  “He is a great man that will be solely missed. He was very celebral and respected in the entire international community. He was a great thinker, an environmental rights activist‎.”

Others at his residence were the Managing Director News Agency of Nigeria, Mr. Ima Niboro; writer Ike Okonta; former minister of finance, Mrs Nanadi Usman; and Executive Secretary, National Christian Pilgrims Board, Mr. Kennedy Opara‎, who prayed for the family.

The deceased’s younger brother, Otonye Douglas, said the family would meet in Bayelsa as tradition demands and draw up burial programmes.

A statement by the Douglas  family of Okoroba, Nembe Local Government of Bayelsa State, said he is survived  by his wife, two sons, family and friends.