Jonathan, Sambo, Mark, Others Mourn Oronto Douglas’ Passing

 President Goodluck Jonathan (left) with the widow of his Special Adviser on Research and Documentation, Mrs Garinabo Dauglas,

TRIBUTE TO ORONTO DOUGLAS

tribute to oronto douglas

Omololu Ogunmade and 
Jaiyeola Andrews in Abuja 
President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice-President Namadi Sambo and Senate President David Mark yesterday expressed their deep sadness over the death of the president’s Special Adviser, Research, Documentation and Strategy, Mr. Oronto Douglas.

Douglas, who had battled cancer for seven years, passed away yesterday morning at the State House Clinic, Abuja, at the age of 48.
Jonathan extended his heartfelt condolences to the Douglas family and the government and people of Bayelsa State on the death of one of their most distinguished sons who served his country, state and the Niger Delta region passionately and diligently, during his very impactful years on earth.

In a statement by the president’s media aide, Dr. Reuben Abati, he said Douglas had been Jonathan’s personal aide for close to a decade. 

According to the statement, Jonathan would always remember him for his passion for work, excellence, inspiring creativity and outstanding commitment to his duties. 

It added that the president remained thankful to God Almighty for the brilliance and resourcefulness that the late Oronto brought to bear on every assignment as a loyal and dutiful aide during his tenure as Governor of Bayelsa State, as vice-president, acting president and president.

“The president believed that Oronto will remain a shining and worthy example for every young Nigerian who seeks a life of service and achievement.

“He prayed that Almighty God will grant Oronto’s soul eternal rest, and the Douglas family and everyone who knew him, the fortitude to bear the pain of his death,” the statement said.

Formal funeral arrangements will be announced  by the Douglas family, the statement added.
In addition, the president, in company with the vice-president, paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased, where he described his death as a sad moment.
The president said while alive, the deceased was a dedicated and committed man, adding: “Douglas and I are from the same local government area in Bayelsa State.

“I knew him first when I was doing my Ph.D research work and he was environmental activist; I was doing some aspects of my research on the ecology of the Niger Delta and my supervisor then one Canadian Prof. Powell knew him and we met in his house.
“But when I got into politics as a deputy governor, he was the Commissioner for Information, then we became very close. He came with me as my adviser as vice-president on research, documentation and strategy, a post he held until this morning.

“He was a very dedicated young man, very committed. I was here last Saturday even though he knew of his passing, because the doctors had told him in America that he was going to die in three weeks, but he was still very passionate about his work. I have never seen such a person with such a strong will.
“Oronto was a good man, he left us too early but God knows the best. I only pray that God should provide for the family and pray that his soul should rest in peace.”

On his part, Sambo said: “This is a very sad day for us. We have lost a very good friend, a brother and a patriotic Nigerian. He was a person of integrity, a patriot and we pray to Almighty God that his soul shall rest in perfect peace.
“We pray that the family he left behind will have the fortitude to bear this great loss. Nigeria has lost a very good man. A person that has contributed positively to the development of this country.”

Some of the early callers at Douglas’ residence were former Bayelsa State governor, Dipreye Alamieyesigha, who described him as someone who never slacked in any assignments he was given.

“We have been praying and trusting God for a miracle. There are a lot of things we did behind the scenes together to strengthen this government, he never slacked on any assignment given him.
“When he served as Commissioner for Information during my government, he was always meticulous and turned in his assignments on time,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, said Douglas was a great thinker who would be solely missed, adding: “He was a great man, he was very cerebral and respected in the international community. He was a great thinker, an environmental rights activist.”

Others seen at his residence were the Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria, Ima Niboro, prolific writer Ike Okonta, Senator Nanadi Usman, Executive Secretary, National Christian Pilgrims Board, Kennedy Opara, who prayed for the family.
His younger brother, Otonye Douglas, said the family would meet in Bayelsa as tradition demands and draw up burial programmes.
Also, the Senate President yesterday described as devastating, the death of Douglas.
Mark, in a condolence message to the president, government and people of Bayelsa State, lamented that Douglas passed on when his services were most needed.

“It is sad that Douglas died in his prime when the nation actually needed his services. Douglas was a scholar in his own right. He was resourceful and dedicated. He was a think tank who left a vacuum too difficult to fill.
“I earnestly share in this grief even as I pray that God in His infinite mercies grant the immediate family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” he said.
He encouraged the bereaved family to take solace in the fact that the late Douglas lived an eventful life and left his positive footprints on the sands of time.

Mark said the deceased would be remembered for his struggle for the emancipation of the people of the Niger Delta, adding that he was an adherent to the rule of law and human rights in Nigeria.
In a statement, the Douglas family said he is survived by his wife, two sons, family and friends.

Oronto: Painful Exit of a Comrade and Patriot

Oronto Natei Douglas

Kayode Komolafe
He was battling with the pains of cancer; yet he was rather interested in discussing the memories of two of his fallen comrades and the welfare of their survivors. That was the huge irony that defined my last solidarity meeting with Oronto Natei Douglas who died yesterday morning. In a way, the essential Oronto was exemplified by the experience of the few hours I spent with him early in the year   as he prepared to go to the United States for medical attention.  He was a good man. Exceptionally selfless and   genuinely humane, he was an exemplar of comradeship.

As he lay on the sofa, he told me the visit was an opportunity to discuss the details of the plans to immortalise Chima Ubani and Bamidele Aturu.  Ubani and Aturu were doubtless leading lights of the Left of their generation.

Like Oronto they discovered the generation’s mission (in the true Fanonian sense) and strove assiduously to fulfil it in an inspiring manner. To be sure, they never betrayed the mission. Ubani died in 2005 in a road accident in Maiduguri while on a protest against fuel price increase led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Aturu, a lawyer like Oronto, died suddenly in a tragic morning last year as he prepared to go for the business of the day. Oronto’s idea was the building of a centre to be named after the two comrades. The centre would serve the dual purpose of providing a venue for activists of social justice and progress as well as generate revenues for the welfare of the survivors of Ubani and Aturu. He expressed so much passion about the consummation of the project as he urged comrades to be interested in the welfare of the families of the deceased in an acknowledgment of their “immense contributions to the struggle.”

Oronto was also remarkably courageous. Perhaps nothing illustrates this point better than the manner in which he elected to take control of his last days in the battle with cancer even as he was conscious that the end was near. When I spoke to him on phone less than 48 hours to his death, he still struggled to have a conversation about Nigeria despite his failing voice.

In some respects, his case was reminiscent of the British actress, Lynda Bellingham, who died of cancer of the colon in October last year. Bellingham said giving up chemotherapy was a “huge relief” and she appeared on television programmes to promote her memoirs a few days to her death. Oronto chose to live as much as his physical health permitted.

When he joined the presidency in 2007 as Special Assistant, Oronto told his associates in the civil society that his telephone numbers would remain the same unlike the culture of those who change their lines as soon as they get into government so that they would become unreachable.

His friends would attest to the fact that Oronto could be reached all his days in government. As a result, he was a friend who was close to the president that you could call and express sharp criticisms about the government. 
Oronto took the criticisms in good faith even as he was absolutely committed to the success of the Jonathan presidency. He would rather engage you in civilised intellectual arguments.

He defended the Jonathan administration with all emphasis at his command, always drawing attention to the need for all to be patriotic. Sometimes, he would retort: “Comrades should not forget that even in government I remain a progressive in the positions I push”. 
Truly, Oronto remained a progressive in government. Highly cerebral and always at home with ideas, Oronto was indeed an asset to the administration. His major strength was his thorough comprehension of policies and the ability to articulate them. So he took pains to explain policies and actions of government to even the most sceptical critic. 

Even when he disagreed sharply with your views of the government he served, he was never tempted to severe relationship.
Beyond his formal designation as Special Assistant on Research and Documentation to President Goodluck Jonathan, Oronto did a lot more at the background to garner support for the administration. He skillfully reached out to many quarters to win support for the administration. He was good at informal public relations.

Before he joined government, Oronto had made his name as one of the intellectual dynamos of the struggle against injustice, exploitation and environmental degradation in the Niger Delta. Along with his other equally dedicated comrades in the Environmental Rights Action (ERA) a logical case of the condition of the Niger Delta had been made to the world even before “militants” took over the situation of things.

As a distinguished member of the THISDAY Editorial Board, he enriched discussions with his perspectives on the Niger Delta. 
It is a matter for eternal regret that I can no more interrogate Oronto with this question: how will it be explained that after the presidency of a Niger Delta man the central questions of the struggle of the people persist? I asked him questions to this effect many times and he offered intelligent defence.

Meanwhile, it would be said of Oronto that he played his part well within human limitations.
Our condolences go to the wife and the young children.
May his tribe increase.