Aziza, at 67, dies of cancer

URHOBO nation was, yesterday, thrown into mourning as the cold hands
of death snatched the President General of the Urhobo Progress Union,
UPU, General Patrick Aziza (rtd) away. He died at the age of 67.

Aziza, who succumbed to cancer, reportedly died in Abuja at about
3:45am . The deceased, a retired brigadier general in the army, served
under the Abacha regime.

Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, lamented the death,
describing Aziza as an irreplaceable statesman. Uduaghan, in a
statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sunny Ogefere, described
the death as a big blow and irreparable loss to Nigeria, Delta State
and the Urhobo nation.

Reacting to the death, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Steve
Oru, described it as very sad. "The Urhobo nation has lost a true
son, a General indeed who had served the nation in the armed forces so
successfully and at a point, he was even a minister in charge of
communication in our nation and he performed creditably well", he
said.

On his past, the senator representing Delta Central at the National
Assembly, Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, described Aziza's death as tragic
and sad.