NIGERIA Mourning Demise of James Ocholi (SAN) &Family Members:’Death of Ocholi, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Labour, Major Setback for the Nation’- Dino Melaye, Nigerian Senator* Laments: “ I am shocked, I am still in shock and in pains”*Regrets: “We have lost somebody, we have lost a great Nigerian, we have lost an intellectual and lawyer. His Death has left a Big Vacuum in Nigeria”

NIGERIA Mourning Demise of James Ocholi (SAN) &Family Members:

‘Death of Ocholi, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Labour, Major Setback for the Nation‘ – Dino Melaye, Nigerian Senator

* Laments: “ I am shocked, I am still in shock and in pains”

*Regrets: “We have lost somebody, we have lost a great Nigerian, we have lost an

intellectual and lawyer. His Death has left a Big Vacuum in Nigeria”

BY TUNRAYO OLAOSEBIKAN/STAFF WRITER, ABUJA

STILL in a state of shock and disbelief, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and emerging godfather of Kogi State politics, Senator Dino Melaye, still found it difficult to believe that his townsman from same Kogi State with whom he had discussed few hours interval died in a fatal accident which included his wife and son on their way back to Abuja from a Church service in Kaduna State.

Melaye, a Nigerian lawmaker explained his last discussion with the late Minister of State for Labour, Mr. James Ocholi (SAN), who died with his wife and son, on the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway while on their way back from a church service in Kaduna

In tears, he reportedly said on Sunday night at the premises of the National Hospital, Abuja where the corpses of the deceased were deposited, Melaye (APC, Kogi West), who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, said Ocholi’s death has left a big vacuum in Nigeria.

His words: “I am shocked, I am still in shock and in pains. I spoke with him this morning and we agreed that we were going to have a chat when he comes back from Kaduna. We have lost somebody, we have lost a great Nigerian, we have lost an intellectual and lawyer. We have lost a great Kogite. I am shocked.

“His death is a major setback for Nigeria because the intellectual sagacity and contribution of Ocholi cannot be quantified. It is painful. When we spoke, we discussed issues that relate to the development of Kogi State.

“We discussed issues that relate to the socio-economic development of our state. We discussed issues relating to the political development of Kogi State. It is unfortunate that we have lost a great son and Nigerian.”