Former Ekiti State Governor and former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has mourned the deaths of former Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, and elder statesman Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole, describing their passing as a major loss to Nigeria.

Fayemi said the two men made significant contributions to the country’s political, social and intellectual development, leaving legacies that would continue to influence public life and inspire future generations.

In a condolence statement, he described Uduaghan as a public servant whose years in government reflected a commitment to Delta State’s development and the welfare of its people.

Uduaghan, who served as governor from 2007 to 2015, played a significant role in the state’s political and developmental journey. His administration focused on healthcare, infrastructure, human capital development, and addressing the complex social and economic challenges of the Niger Delta.

Fayemi noted that Uduaghan’s background in medicine and experience in political leadership gave him valuable insights into governance and the responsibilities of public office.
He said the former governor’s death underscored the importance of public service and the enduring responsibility of leaders to improve the lives of the people they serve.

On Dele Cole, Fayemi described the late elder statesman as a man of considerable intellect, experience and influence whose contributions to diplomacy, journalism and national discourse earned him a place among Nigeria’s distinguished public figures.

He said Cole belonged to a generation of Nigerians whose professional accomplishments and engagement with national affairs enriched public debate and contributed to the development of institutions and ideas essential to nation-building.

Fayemi added that Cole’s wealth of experience, knowledge and commitment to public affairs would be greatly missed, particularly at a time when Nigeria needed the wisdom and counsel of experienced statesmen.

“Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole served Nigeria in different capacities, but they shared a commitment to making their contributions to the society in which they lived. Their passing is a painful reminder that the nation continues to lose men whose experience, service and perspectives remain valuable to our collective progress,” Fayemi said.

He added that although their deaths had left painful voids in their families and communities, their legacies would endure through the people they served, the institutions they helped shape and the examples they set.

Fayemi extended his condolences to the families, friends, associates and political colleagues of the deceased, as well as the governments and people of Delta and Rivers states and Nigerians mourning their deaths.

He urged the bereaved families to draw strength from the knowledge that both men lived consequential lives and made contributions that would be remembered beyond their lifetimes.

“On behalf of my family, I extend my deepest sympathies to the families of Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole. I pray that God grants them the fortitude to bear these painful losses, comforts all who mourn them and gives those they have left behind the strength and wisdom to carry forward the worthy aspects of their legacies,” he said.