BREAKING: Former Governor of Cross River Is Dead [PHOTOS]
The news of his death was confirmed in a statement issued by his family and signed...
Advertisements
Former Governor of Cross River Is Dead
Major General Paul Ufuoma Omu (Rtd), a former military governor of the old South-Eastern State—now Cross River and Akwa Ibom States—has passed away at the age of 84.
The news of his death was confirmed in a statement issued by his family and signed by Oghenekome Ufuoma Omu.
Advertisements
The retired general, who served Nigeria with distinction in both military and political spheres, died on Tuesday.
“Major-General Paul Ufuoma Omu was a family man, patriot, statesman, soldier, and community leader whose life was marked by unwavering commitment to the service of Nigeria and his beloved Isoko Nation,” the statement read.
General Omu’s military career spanned several decades, during which he held key strategic and administrative positions. He served as Military Governor of the South-Eastern State from July 1975 to July 1978, a period during which he initiated vital infrastructural and policy reforms that helped lay the foundation for regional development.
Advertisements
His influence extended beyond military governance. In 1985, he was appointed Commander of the Command and Staff College and became a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council, Nigeria’s highest decision-making body at the time.
During Nigeria’s transition to civilian rule, General Omu played a pivotal role as Chairman of the Constitutional Conference Commission in 1994, contributing to the frameworks that would later shape democratic governance in the country. His political and strategic insights earned him widespread national recognition.
In 2009, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua appointed him Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), further entrusting him with shaping Nigeria’s policy development.
Advertisements
Beyond national service, General Omu remained a stalwart of his native Isoko Nation. As President of the Isoko Development Union (IDU) between 2014 and 2015, he championed education, unity, and economic development, becoming a symbol of leadership and hope for his people.
He is survived by his wife, Senator Chief (Mrs) Stella Omu, six children, several grandchildren, siblings, and a nation that remembers him as one of its finest sons.
Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family in due course.
Advertisements
Advertisements
