Family, Urhobo leaders remember David Dafinone

One year after the death of Senator David Dafinone, the people of Sapele and Okpe communities have unveiled a statue to honour the late award-winning chartered accountant.

The two-day event, which continues today, will also witness an Iroko Tree planting by Chief Igho Dafinone, at the Sapele Integrated Factory in Amukpe, Delta State

First son of the deceased, Chief Ede Dafinone, described the event, which was attended by the cream of Sapele and Okpe leaders as a day to remember as the statue symbolising the true spirit of unity among the people that his father worked for during his lifetime.

Dafinone, who spoke with journalists during the unveiling ceremony yesterday in Sapele, said: “The unveiling of the statue is a great day for the Sapele Okpe Community. It is a year since my father passed on. That was when the community commissioned it and its finally unveiled today to mark one year of his passage.

“One of the things we will always remember my father for is the rebuilding of the palace of the Orodje of Okpe, which is a monument itself to the Okpe kingdom.”

“The roles my father played in the fund raising, funding and the building of the palace are on record. The palace is a monument of his contributions to the Kingdom. There are many other achievements of my late father that includes the Delta Steel Complex in Aladja, he was the anchor at the national force that brought it there.

“The importance of this event signifies the love being showered on the man by his people. The Sapele Okpe community forms the bedrock of the Okpe community in Sapele, and they have come together to bequeath this honour that will stand here for centuries”, he said.

Speaking, Chief Thompson Okpoko (SAN) and former national president of the Nigeria Bar Association (MBA), who unveiled the statue said: “It was a great idea to commemorate the works of late Chief Dafinone, who was a pillar to this part of the world.

“He was a great gift to Okpe and indeed Nigeria and rest of the world. What we are doing today is a reminder to our younger generations about our heroes.”

A former Commissioner of Health, and later Information, Youth, Sports and Social Welfare in the defunct Bendel State, Chief (Mrs.) Margaret Unukegwo, said, “If Dafinone were to be alive to witness this honour by his own community, I am sure he would have been very happy. He would have been grateful to the Sapele Community, which took it upon themselves to put in place something to immortalise him.”

Earlier, chairman of the occasion, Chief Godwin Egigba said, “The statue was erected in honor of Dafinone by Okpe Leaders of Thought, which was founded by the deceased.