THE former General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Chief Frank Ovie Kokori is dead.
The 80-year-old Chief Kokori has in recent weeks been undergoing treatment for kidney-related ailment at a hospital in Delta State.
Chief Kokori’s Personal Assistant, Atawada Oke, broke the news of his passage early Thursday, noting that his health relapsed on Monday when he was unable to interact with people around him while he was placed on life support.
It will be recalled that the veteran labour leader on 9 November 2023 made a distress call from his private hospital bed in Warri over his health status lamenting his neglect and abandonment to die despite his huge contribution to the democratic growth of the country.
His lamentations led to visitations by some dignitaries including Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori; former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; officials of NUPENG, among others.
Chief Kokori came into prominence during the struggle for the revalidation of the annulled June 12 presidential election believed to have been won by Chief MKO Abiola. He led a number of protest matches and also mobilised oil workers to embark on a shutdown of the oil sector.
He and many other comrades laid down their lives for democracy. He along with other comrades fought gallantly for the actualisation of the June 12, 1993 mandate which was acclaimed as the freest, fairest and most competitive election in the history of elections in Nigeria. It was an election that brought together every tribe to speak with one voice for the first time in Nigeria.
Frank Kokori, who was hounded, incarcerated and imprisoned by the military junta for many years for his role in organising nationwide strikes that crippled the oil industry, was no doubt one of the symbols of that struggle. It was a struggle that reverberated across the shores of the country and in the international communities.
It is on record that Kokori was equally a founding member of NADECO which struggle culminated in our present-day democracy. He was actively involved in pro-democracy activities, organising and participating in rallies and demonstrations.
Eighteen-Eleven Media