Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23, 2019 election, Mr. Peter Obi, on Tuesday mourned the passage of renowned poet, writer and administrator, Dr. Gabriel Okara, describing it as the loss of an African literary giant.

“Gabriel Okara was not just a celebrated poet but, indeed, one of the greatest writers ever to come out of Africa. With his death, the continent has lost a literary giant,” Obi said in a statement issued by his media office.

He described Dr. Okara, who died on Sunday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, at the age of 97 as a rare breed. “Pa Okara was not just a poet and writer but also an accomplished administrator of men and resources. As Life Patron of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), he played a critical role in moulding the present and future generations of Nigerian writers,” Obi said.

He also praised the late Okara’s exemplary life of contentment and incorruptibility, noting that these are qualities needed to be imbibed by the present generation of Nigerians to get Nigeria out of the doldrums.

The former Anambra State Governor condoled Okara’s family, the Bayelsa State Government, the Ijaw nation and the Nigerian literary community, urging them to take solace in his rich legacies of hard work, excellence and probity.