NIGERIAN LEADERS AND BEYOND BIDS LATE CHIEF DR. EK CLARK FAREWELL AS HE BEGINS HIS LAST JOURNEY TO ETERNAL BLISS
By Wilson Macaulay
In a moment steeped in emotion, reflection, and reverence, Nigeria stood still as the curtain fell on the life of one of its most illustrious sons — Chief (Dr.) Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, OFR, CON. A titan of integrity, an unyielding crusader for justice, a father to the Niger Delta, and a global statesman of Pan-African repute, Dr. EK Clark’s final journey to eternal bliss was met with a cascade of tributes from Nigerian leaders, African dignitaries, the diplomatic corps, academia, civil society, and the common people whose lives he touched profoundly.
Born in 1927 in Kiagbodo, Delta State, the late nationalist and elder statesman lived a life devoted to truth, equity, and service to humanity. At the grand age of 97, he transitioned peacefully, leaving behind a legacy forged in the furnace of struggle, advocacy, and towering patriotism.
A National Mourning, A Continental Tribute
From the moment the news of his passing broke, the entire nation entered a period of mourning. Flags flew at half-mast across government institutions, and a week-long celebration of life was declared in Delta State, his ancestral home. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a moving eulogy, described Chief EK Clark as “a father figure of the Nigerian federation and a compass for generations of political leaders who believe in one indivisible Nigeria anchored on fairness and federalism.”
Former Presidents, including Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), offered deeply personal tributes. Dr. Jonathan, in particular, recounted how Clark’s wise counsel helped stabilize his administration and shaped policies that sought to uplift the Niger Delta.
“Pa Clark was a light in the darkness of Nigeria’s convoluted political journey. His voice was a trumpet for justice, even when the winds of tyranny tried to muffle it,” Jonathan said.
African leaders from Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, and Sierra Leone also sent in messages, remembering him as a continental icon who remained committed to African unity and resource justice. President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana referred to him as “a bridge between generations of African leaders and an unshaken pillar in the call for reparations and decolonization.”
A Grand Farewell Befitting a Legend
The funeral rites has been on and and it will continue after his internment today, 13th May 2025 at his hometown of Kiagbodo, a serene riverside community that became a magnet for mourners from across the globe. The air was thick with both sorrow and celebration as his remains arrived, draped in the national colours and escorted by a military honour guard.
An interdenominational service at the Ecumenical Centre in Abuja, prior to his final journey, brought together Christian, Muslim, and traditional leaders in a rare show of unity. Prayers were said in multiple tongues, underscoring the pan-Nigerian and pan-African identity that Dr. Clark embodied.
The procession to Delta State was marked with stopovers in Warri, Ughelli, and Asaba, where cultural troupes paid homage with symbolic dances and songs of farewell, invoking ancestral blessings. At the final burial ground, traditional rites will be performed by the Ijaw Council of Elders, flanked by the Urhobo, Itsekiri, and Isoko. IYC , NBA NUJ and other delegations in an extraordinary display of the solidarity.
A Towering Legacy
Chief EK Clark’s legacy transcends politics. As the founder of the Edwin Clark University, he invested in intellectual emancipation for Niger Delta youths and beyond. As Federal Commissioner for Information under General Gowon, he challenged military excesses and advocated press freedom at great personal risk. As an unrelenting voice for resource control, he helped birth the Amnesty Programme that quelled years of militancy in the Niger Delta.
Throughout his life, he mentored countless leaders — from state governors and federal legislators to activists and community organizers. His home in Abuja was often described as “a melting pot of revolutionary ideas,” where the oppressed found a platform and the powerful found a conscience.
Tributes from the Grassroots
Beyond the grand speeches and official ceremonies, perhaps the most powerful tributes came from the ordinary people. Fishermen in Bayelsa wept openly. Market women in Bomadi wore black arm bands. Students at Edwin Clark University held candlelight processions. In Delta State, youths from Burutu to Sapele painted murals in his honour, depicting him as a sage with outstretched arms embracing Nigeria.
Comrade Joseph Evah, a prominent Niger Delta activist, said: “Pa Clark was more than a man — he was an institution. He defended us when it was dangerous to speak, and he never asked for payment. We owe him a debt we can never repay.”
Chief Tunde Smooth the Prime Minister of the Niger Delta said, the father general is gone to rest in the bosom of God.
Comrade Akiefa, Comdr SB Aluku KIGE President and others who spoke concurred that Chief DR EK Clark the Peoples voice is Worthy to the celebrated at death.
The Spirit Lives On
As the golden casket was lowered into the earth, a choir of Ijaw women sang the timeless dirge: “Ibeni fiemo, Ebi mi do” — Farewell father, the land mourns you. Overhead, a flock of white doves soared skyward, symbolic of a soul that had ascended to join the ancestors.
While Nigeria has lost a colossus, the soul of Dr. EK Clark lives on — in every youth who speaks truth to power, in every leader who chooses equity over ethnicity, and in every Niger Deltan who dares to dream of a region blooming with justice and peace.
As the nation mourns and the continent salutes, one truth remains undeniable: Chief (Dr.) Edwin Kiagbodo Clark did not just live — he lived for others.
Rest on, Pa Clark. Your journey to eternal bliss is well-earned.
