Clark was a crusader for democracy, justice – Ebie

The Chairman of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Barrister Chinedu Ebie, has lamented the passing of a foremost Niger Delta leader and nationalist, Chief Edwin Clark, OFR, CON, describing him as a compassionate advocate for democracy, social justice, and restructuring who dedicated his life to these causes over several decades.

In a statement signed on his behalf by his Media Aide, Jerome Utomi, Ebie condoled the family and urged them to take solace in the fact that Clark lived a long, glorious, and fulfilling life and contributed immensely to nation-building.

“His passage at this moment of our nationhood is a colossal loss to the people of the Ijaw nation, Niger Delta, and Nigeria as a whole. But let us take solace in the fulfilling, long, and glorious life he lived. He was a crusader for justice and fairness; he contributed immensely to nation-building and desired a restructured Nigeria where no one section is oppressed or marginalised,” the NDDC Board Chairman said.

Ebie, a former Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education and later Secretary to the State Government, noted that the late Pa Clark was a man of many parts and a far-sighted leader who will be remembered for his tremendous contributions to governance, education, regional advocacy, enduring impact—especially through the institutions he built and the causes he championed—and his legacies.

“As a teacher, lawyer, humanist, philanthropist, and Commissioner for Education in the Mid-Western Region from 1968 to 1971, and later as Commissioner for Finance and Establishment in the defunct Midwestern Region between 1972 and 1975, the Kiagbodo, Delta State-born late Pa Clark impacted his world and left his mark in the sands of history. During this period, he served with my late father, Professor John Ebie, whose portfolio was Health in the same cabinet. It is with nostalgia that I recall this period when our families melded together.

“In retirement, he was never tired, as his love for a united Nigeria and the quest for a significantly developed Niger Delta region propelled him, alongside his development-minded colleagues, to birth so many groups aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance at all levels of government in Nigeria,” Ebie stated.

Recall that as a philanthropist, Pa Clark founded the Edwin Clark Foundation, which focuses on supporting education and social development, contributing to the upliftment of many communities and individuals.

Ebie stressed that, in line with promoting human capital development, the Niger Delta leader established Edwin Clark University, Kiagbodo, Delta State, in 2015, aimed at providing higher education opportunities in his home state and the nation in general.

“The entire Niger Delta Region and the Governing Board, Management, and staff of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will surely miss his fatherly advice.

“On behalf of my family, members of the Governing Board, and Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), it is my prayer that God grants him eternal rest and gives his family the fortitude to bear this huge and irreparable loss,” Ebie further said.