Okocha, renowned writer dies

Paul Osuyi, Asaba

Asaba  community was thrown into mourning late yesterday following the sad news of the passing of one of the titled chiefs, Emma Okocha.

Okowa, a journalist of international acclaim and renowned writer, was the Ikemba Ahaba before his death.

Some residents of Asaba, especially within the villages of Umuagwu and Umuonaje expressed shock at the sad news.

They said Okocha was hail and hearty when he was last seen.

However, details of his death was sketchy as at the time of filing this report.

Okocha was one of those at the forefront of the agitation for the reparation of Asaba community by the Federal Government, following the October 7, 1967 massacre of the Asaba indigenes by federal troops during the civil war.

His book, ‘Blood on the Niger’ is a revelation to the atrocities of the civil war particularly within the Anioma region, present day Delta North senatorial district.

In a tribute, the class of 1977 Mass Communication graduates of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), described Okocha as man of wit and letters.

Emmanuel Obiechina, who spoke on behalf of the group, said Okocha restored truth of the Asaba massacre of 1967 in his book, ‘Blood on the Niger’.

“He was my colleague in a different department at UNN. I can recall vividly in late September 1973, he challenged the sluggish pace used in our registration at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, UNN with the loud quintessential statement, ‘Remove the bureaucratic bottom necks and excessive red tapism’.