By DADA AYOKHAI
The former member of the House of Representatives representing Etsako federal constituency, Hon Abubakar Momoh,has expressed shock over the sudden death of Dr Raymond Dokpesi who passed on Monday as announced by the family.
Hon Momoh expressed his grief in a condolence message personally signed and made available to journalists.
The message read thus;
It is with deep sense of loss and utmost disbelief that I got the sad and devastating news of the passing of High chief Raymond Dokpesi. Though death is inevitable, it is most painful if occurs unexpectedly as it happened today in the case of Chief Dokpesi.
There is no iota of doubt that the contributions of Chief Dokpesi to the growth and development of our nation particularly in the private media industry which he pioneered and the private shipping line which he featured prominently in his early days are remarkable feats for which he will continued to be remembered and serves as consolation to many who admired him.
As he was a trailbrazer in various fields of businesses, little did many know that he was also a good politician who at a young age of about 31, served as a chief of staff to a governor far away in then Gongola state.
He was also our senatorial candidate in Edo North under the auspices of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1992; an election which he narrowly lost to senator Albert Legogie of SDP due to power of state incumbency provided by then Governor Oyegun.
As a good politician, when the national assembly was challenged by the third term bid of president Obasanjo, chief Raymond Dokpesi and some other Nigerians rallied forces behind to truncate and bury the move thereby giving room to the continuity and structured succession we witness in our democracy today.
Infact Chief Raymond Dokpesi was an octopus, very energetic, open minded, fearless and detribalised. It is most unfortunate that we have to lose him at this critical moment in our nation history when we look forward with renewed hope for a better Nigeria.
We are sorely going to miss him.
We pray God almighty to forgive him all his shortcomings and grant him paradise as his final abode – amen.
Adieu! Adieu!!
Hon Engr Abubakar Momoh,
Former member, House of Representatives, Etsako federal constituency.
