Union declares 3 days of mourning

The Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU) has declared a three-day of mourning in honour of the late Chief Felix Ibru, the first governor of Delta.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Josiah Ntekume, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of UPU (interim committee), and made available to newsmen in Warri on Monday.

The statement quoted Mr Gabriel Ofotokun, UPU's President-General (Interim committee), as saying that the mourning takes immediate effect.

It also directed the union’s flag to be flown at half mast at home and in the Diaspora.

"The president-general of the UPU’s interim committee has declared three-day mourning in honour of the departed Olorogun Felix Ibru throughout the Urhobo nation beginning from today, Monday.

"He has also directed that UPU’s flag must fly at half mast both at home and in the Diaspora," he said.

Ofotokun commiserated with the Ibru family, the Urhobo nation and the entire people of Delta and prayed God to give them the strength to bear the loss.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the former governor and a one-time senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was reported to have died on March 12, after a brief illness.

The 80-year-old business magnate was a one-time president-general of UPU, the "Urhobo umbrella body".

The deceased was born on Dec. 7, 1935 to the family of late Chief Peter Ibru in Agbarha-Otor, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta.