Vice President Kashim Shettima has described the passing of elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark as a profound loss to Nigeria, likening his death to the fall of a great Iroko tree.
Chief Clark, a former Federal Commissioner for Information in the First Republic and a Senator in the Second Republic, died on Monday at his residence at the age of 97.
Until his death, he was the Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and a leading voice on national issues, particularly resource control and environmental justice in the Niger Delta.
In a condolence message on Wednesday, Shettima praised the late nationalist’s decades-long influence on Nigeria’s political discourse.
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“When the giant Iroko tree falls, the landscape itself is forever altered. Today, our national horizon looks markedly different without Chief Clark’s commanding presence, which has defined our political discourse for over six decades,” he said.
He extended his condolences to the Clark-Fuludu Bekederemo family, describing the late statesman as a fearless advocate for justice and equity.
The Vice President also recalled Clark’s persistent calls for restructuring, noting that his unwavering stance often put him at odds with various administrations but earned him respect across political divides.
“Chief Clark embodied the resilient spirit of the Niger Delta—unbowed and unwavering in his pursuit of justice.
“The Niger Delta has lost one of its most eloquent defenders, the Ijaw nation its most prominent son, and Nigeria a truth-teller whose interventions consistently redirected our national conversation toward justice and inclusivity,” he stated.
