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Former Delta State Governor and renowned medical practitioner, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, died on October 19, 2026, at the age of 71. Born on October 22, 1954, in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, Uduaghan attended Federal Government College, Warri, from 1968 to 1974. He went to the University of Benin from 1975 to 1980, and earned a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree and a diploma in Anaesthesia.
Three years after his graduation, he commenced his medical career at the Delta Steel Company as a medical officer. He later worked at the Westend Hospital in Warri, Benoni Hospitals in Benin City and Shell Hospital in Ogunu, from 1984 and 1989. After eleven years of working for several medical facilities, Uduaghan established his private medical practice in 1994.
Five years later, he was appointed the Commissioner of Health by the former Delta State governor, James Ibori. This marked the beginning of his 16 years of interrupted political stint in Delta State that saw him endear himself to the heart of the people as a silent political achiever in many capacities.
Before becoming the state governor in 2007, Dr. Uduaghan had served as Commissioner for Health from 1999 to 2003 and Secretary to the Delta State Government from 2003 to 2007. These political portfolios might have adequately prepared the ground for him to become the number one citizen of the state on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He impacted the political landscape of Delta State with a robust infrastructural and human development. The great politician also touched many lives within and outside the state.
Uduaghan will be remembered for constructing many roads, schools and hospitals in the state. He mediated between warring factions in the state to ensure the reign of peace in a state once considered the most volatile in Nigeria. He created the “Delta Beyond Oil” policy and promoted agriculture, small businesses, transportation, ICT, tourism, industrial development and human-capital development as alternative pillars of the state’s economy.
Besides, he deployed the state’s oil wealth for public good. His road revolution led to the reconstruction and construction of major highways, township roads, rural roads, bridges and drainage systems, including Ughelli-Asaba Road, Ugbenu-Koko Road, Effurun-Osubi-Eku Road, PTI-Jakpa-Ekpan Road, Old Lagos-Asaba Road and the Trans-Warri/Ode-Itsekiri Road and bridges. In March 2015, the Uduaghan commissioned 64 road projects in Asaba alone.
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He will also be remembered for his productive ‘EduMarshal’ project that got more children of school age to schools and eased the burden of financing their education from their parents. He offset the costs of WAEC and technical examinations and built more than 18,000 classrooms. He also increased student bursaries in tertiary institutions while introducing scholarships for gifted Delta students.
His approach to medicare was remarkably different from previous Delta State governors. He introduced free maternal healthcare for pregnant women, free healthcare for children under five and free rural healthcare for those outside the cities. Perhaps one of his greatest legacies was the construction of Asaba International Airport, which commenced commercial operations in 2011. The airport has also boosted tourism in the state.
He also worked hard to reduce kidnapping for ransom, curtail piracy, mindless criminal attacks on oil infrastructure, using dialogue, youth engagement and amnesty as the pinnacle of conflict resolution in his state. This model can help the government in resolving some of the conflicts in the country.
Uduaghan’s attempt to be a senator after eight years in office as a governor was not successful, yet he bore the disappointment with equanimity. His resignation to fate singled him as a man of peace who gave preference to the interest of the people over his personal ambition. He will be missed by the people of Delta State, friends and many Nigerians. He was a great medical doctor and a politician. He deployed his talent in these areas to serve humanity to the best of his ability. Uduaghan was a great mentor and manager of men and resources. He contributed immensely to the building and development of Asaba, the state capital and other parts of the state.
Considering his invaluable contributions to the socio-economic development of Delta State and his contribution to nation-building and political development of the country, we call on the state government to honour the deceased. We commiserate with his family, the political class and the medical community on the great loss. May God grant his soul eternal repose.
