Dakuku Peterside: Edwin Clark fought for all Nigerians regardless of backgrounds

Dakuku Peterside, the former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has mourned the death of Edwin Clark, leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).

Clark, a former commissioner under the Yakubu Gowon government, died on Monday at the age of 97.

In a statement on Tuesday by his media team, Peterside said the death of the elder statesman has created a large vacuum to be fixed in the Niger Delta region.

He said Clark represented courage and patriotism, and his contributions to the region were invaluable.

“The late Clark is a true Nigerian hero who spoke truth to power and made a lot of sacrifices defending the rights and privileges of the minorities,” the statement reads.

“My last encounter with him was to discuss his book. I made a speech on behalf of younger Ijaw leaders in Lagos, and he called to appreciate me for the kind words I said about him. He challenged my generation to carry on with the struggle.

“He was a role model, a mentor, one who led the way for others to follow. At his blessed age, he could simply have retired home, but he chose to fight for the cause of common Nigerians regardless of their backgrounds.

“Pa Clark was never afraid to stand for what he believed in; once he is convinced of the propriety of the cause, he puts his all in, even against his safety.

“A sizeable chunk of projects, appointments, policies, and programmes we have in the Niger Delta were through his struggles alongside other patriotic sons and daughters of the region.”

Peterside sympathised with the government and people of Delta state, the Ijaw ethnic nationality worldwide, elders, and leaders in the Niger Delta over the passage of Clark, a “great and irrepressible son.”