President, Oborevwori, NUPENG, TUC mourn as labour icon Frank Kokori dies @ 80

 

.Our democracy owes a lot to Kokori’s fighting spirit, says Omo-Agege

 

President Bola Tinubu has received the news of the passing of Frank Kokori, former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), with deepest sympathies.

The late elder statesman was a foremost figure in the June 12 struggle.

The President condoled with his family, the civil society, the government, and the people of Delta state over the deeply painful loss.

President Tinubu described the former labour leader as a man of conscience; highly principled, courageous, and true.

“Frank Kokori was a thoroughbred democrat and activist. He fought for democracy at a great personal cost. He surrendered his liberty to fight for truth and justice. He was the finest among reformers and champions of civil rights in Nigeria.

“He was a brother in the June 12 struggle. He was uncompromising, unbending, and irrepressible. He was an exemplary comrade,” the President stated.

President Tinubu, while praying for the repose of the soul of the deceased, encouraged those he left behind to take comfort in his peerless legacy.

 

Also, The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), says Frank Kokori was a beacon of democratic struggles in Nigeria and he remained an advocate of democracy throughout his life.

 

President of NUPENG, Mr Williams Akporeha, said this on Thursday in Lagos in his tribute.

 

Kokori, a former General Secretary, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), died about 1:30 am on Thursday, on his 80th birthday.

 

Akporeha said the labour and pro-democracy movements would miss Kokori greatly.

 

“He stood firm and continue to speak for the downtrodden until his last breath on earth. We wish he lived longer.  It is a sad day for us in NUPENG and will continue to celebrate him.

 

“Kokori was a well-known committed and dedicated defender, promoter and fighter for workers’ rights and democratic rights of the citizens.

 

“He spent a life of “Sacrifice” to struggles for emancipation of the working class globally and enthronement of democratic rule in Nigeria,” he said.

 

According to him, Kokori spent years in prisons and severally brutalised in his struggles for not only the Trade Unions but also against military rule in Nigeria.

 

He said the late unionist spent later years of his life nursing some of the vicious wounds inflicted on him in the course of those struggles.

 

“He still lived up to good age before he eventually surrendered to go home for a peaceful rest after those struggles for humanity.

 

“We love Kokori but we as humans, we have to take consolations in the great and wonderful memories he left behind for us to cherish and celebrate,” he said.

 

Kokori emerged as a pivotal figure in the struggle for the validation of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election won by late Chief Moshood Abiola.

 

Kokori was involved in mobilising the masses against the annulment of the election.

 

He led NUPENG and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in organising nationwide strikes that crippled the oil industry, the country’s economic lifeblood.

 

In addition to leading the oil workers strikes, Kokori was actively involved in pro-democracy activities.

 

He participated in various rallies and demonstrations, calling for the enthronement of democracy and the recognition of Abiola’s victory.

 

He also played a crucial role in building alliances with other pro-democracy groups and individuals, fostering unity and a common front against the military regime.

 

As a result of his relentless activism, Kokori was arrested and detained by the military government enduring imprisonment and torture.

 

Oborevwori mourns Labour icon Kokori

 

Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta  State has expressed sadness over the demise of elder statesman and erstwhile General Secretary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers of Nigeria (NUPENG), Chief Frank Ovie Kokori.

 

The governor in condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon in Asaba, said the nation had lost a great labour icon.

 

Kokori, a renowned Labour Leader, who hailed from Ovu in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta, died in the early hours of Thursday, coincidentally on his 80th birth anniversary.

 

As a pro-democracy activist, he headlined and epitomised the national struggle for the revalidation of the historic June 12 1993 presidential election under the Abacha regime.

 

A month ago, Kokori was reported to have fallen ill and was immediately visited at hospital by Governor Oborevwori.

 

Oborevwori commiserated with the Kokori’s family, the people of Ovu community in particular and the Urhobo nation over the passing of the fiery labour leader and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

He described Kokori’s passing as a “monumental loss” not just to NUPENG, people of Delta, and Nigerians, but to the entire world, adding that he fought gallantly for the people.

 

According to the governor, the deceased was a well respected elder statesman, an illustrious Deltan.

 

Oborevwori recalled his visit to late Kokori on his sick bed in Warri, saying, “I have just received with shock, news of the passing of one of Nigeria’s greatest statesmen, Chief Frank Ovie Kokori, a Deltan of unparalleled patriotism.

 

“I am saddened that at a time like this when his patriotic zeal is needed in our dear nation, Nigeria, death came calling.

 

“I will forever cherish our last moments together when l visited him in the hospital. He was ebullient and was in very high spirit despite his ailment. He fought a good fight.

 

“I send my heartfelt condolences to the family, the Urhobo nation, NUPENG, APC, Deltans and Ovu community in particular over the passing of the renowned elder statesman and labour icon”.

 

The governor added, “as a bastion of inspiration, labour icon and a man of great political depth and insight as well as a leader of leaders, he contributed immensely to the development of our state and country throughout his lifetime.

 

“As a government, we were committed to ensuring that the now late elder statesman got back to his feet but, unfortunately, against the grain of our expectation, he couldn’t make it back from the hospital.

 

“On behalf of the Government and people of Delta State, I mourn the exit of a great elder statesman, Chief Frank Ovie Kokori, whose contributions to the June 12 struggle and Nigeria’s democracy remain an inspiration to many.

 

“As the nation mourns him, I enjoin the Kokori family, friends and associates to honour his memory by continually upholding the values and principles which he lived for and never stopped fighting for till his death”.

 

“My government will be fully active in giving this patriot a befitting funeral. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this critical time. May his gentle soul rest in peace,” he said.

.Our democracy owes a lot to Frank Kokori’s fighting spirit, says Omo-Agege

Meanwhile, Chief Frank Kokori, the late veteran labour leader and one-time secretary general of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has been described as one of the pillars in the fight against military dictatorship and the return of democratic rule in 1999.
Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, former Deputy President of the Senate, in a tribute to the former labour leader who passed on in the early hours of Thursday, said his indefatigable fighting spirit and sacrifice for the enthronement of constitutional governance are contributions that are indelible in the history of the advent of the Fourth Republic in Nigeria.
Chief Kokori, he said, deployed the instrument of labour activism to prop up the concerted fight to oust military dictatorship, especially the notorious regime of late General Sani Abacha.
Such was the effectiveness of his fight that the then military dictatorship had to use covert night time operations to arrest and detain him until the death of Abacha.
In a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Mr. Sunny Areh, Omo-Agege who is also the gubernatorial flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, eulogized Kokori as an advocate for the people and for accountable governance.
“He deliberately put his life on the line when he mobilized workers in the oil industry to fight the Abacha repressive regime. They could not buy him over, they could not handle him and it required the use of undercover state operatives to render and detain him.
“In fact, it cannot be faulted to say that he is one of the main pillars of the birth of democratic rule in May 1999. Chief Kokori epitomised the virtues of the advocacy of father of labour activism in Nigeria, the late Pa Michael Imodu, who used the platform to fight irresponsible and dictatorial tendencies in government,” Omo-Agege stated.
He urged the successor generation of labour leaders to imbibe the inspiring and principled stand of their predecessors to be counted on the side of the people.