Benue mourns as ex-Minister Agada dies

A former Minister of State for Education and National President of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Prof. Jerry Agada, is dead.

He was 68.

Agada, who died on Tuesday at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Apir, Makurdi, the Benue State capital, was the Chairman of State Civil Service Commission.

His Ankpa Quarters home in Makurdi was besieged on Tuesday by sympathisers.

The late Agada was the Head Teacher at the Government College, Makurdi, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

He had contested the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries and lost before he was appointed Minister of State for Education.

The late Agada wrote many books.

The Benue State government on Tuesday expressed shock over his death.

Deputy Governor Benson Abounu, who was accompanied by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Anthony Ijohor (SAN) and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Abel Adah Ikwom, was at the Agada family house on a condolence visit.

They condoled with the family on behalf of Governor Samuel Ortom, the government and people of the state.

The family’s spokesman Aboyi Agada thanked the government for identifying with them in their moment of grief.