Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, James Ocholi (SAN), his wife Blessing and their son died in a fatal motor accident on their way back to Abuja after attending a church programme in Kaduna.
Five others riding in the vehicle with the couple, including his security aide and driver, survived the accident and are still in hospital with various degrees of injuries.
The accident, which occurred in a village called Rijana, about 55 kilometres from Kaduna, resulted from a tyre burst as they drove in their Lexus Jeep LX570.
An eye-witness said the vehicle somersaulted several times and finally stopped in the bush, adding that the minister and his son died instantly while the wife, who fell into coma, later died in the hospital where all efforts to resuscitate her failed.
Mr Danladi Ayuba, who witnessed the accident, said: “I was by the roadside when all of a sudden, I heard a loud sound which, I thought was a bomb, only to discover that it was noise from a burst tyre. Then I saw a black jeep somersaulting and it landed in the bush after it somersaulted several times.
“By the time we got there, we discovered that the minister and another person discovered later to be his son were already dead. In fact, we thought the wife, too, died then because she was not breathing. But they were rushed to Doka General Hospital where the wife also gave up the ghost.
“It was a bad experience. This road has some bad potholes that really need to be fixed to avoid this kind of accident because, to me, I suspect the vehicle may have entered one of those bad potholes leading to the tyre burst,” he said.
At the Doka General Hospital where the victims were taken, a medical officer at the hospital confirmed the casualty figures to our correspondent, “The minister and the son were brought in dead while five others were brought in alive. But the wife of the minister sustained internal injuries and efforts to resuscitate her failed and she also died while being resuscitated.
“Others who were brought in here, who sustained various degrees of injuries, include the personal assistant, the driver, orderly and one other person.”
The medical officer, who will prefer anonymity, gave their names as Isaac Adaji, Abdullahi Sunday, Tairow James and Benjamin Ikocha, plus the wife of the minister.
When contacted, Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer Abubakar Zubairu, also confirmed the accident and deaths of the minister, wife and son.
At the Rijana Police Station, the heavily damaged Lexus jeep was parked within their premises.
The remains of the minister, wife and son were moved to the National Hospital, Abuja, while those who sustained injuries were equally moved from the Doka General hospital after they had received first aid treatment.
Meanwhile, Kaduna State Government has expressed deep shock at the death of the minister and members of his family.
In a statement by the spokesperson to the governor, Samuel Aruwan, he said, “The state government extends its heartfelt condolences to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Ocholi family.
“Our condolence also goes to the members of the Federal Executive Council and the entire nation. The minister died at a critical time of contributing his quota in the ongoing national rebirth and the realisation of the Change Mantra.”
He prayed God Almighty to grant their souls eternal rest.
Corpses deposited at National Hospital, Abuja
It was a black Sunday as the Federal Government Sunday confirmed the death of the former minister of state for labour, Mr. James Ocholi (SAN), his wife and his son whose corpses were deposited at the National Hospital, Abuja, by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps.
The corpse of the minister and his son were deposited at the mortuary at 6:48pm by two FRSC vehicles.
The body of the late minister’s wife was brought about one hour, thirty minutes later.
Speaking with journalists at the National Hospital premises, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir David Lawal, confirmed that the three family members were killed in the crash at about 3pm.
He said, “I will like to confirm that at about 3pm (Sunday), the Minister of State for Labour, James Ocholi (SAN) was involved in a motor accident along Kaduna-Abuja road. In this accident, the minister lost his life, his son also lost his life, and the wife also lost her life.
“It is a very sad day indeed for Nigeria, as this has never happened before. President Muhammadu Buhari is in shock; all members of the Federal Executive Council are in shock and indeed, all Nigerians are in shock.
“The President wants us to extend his condolences to Nigerians, the people of Kogi State and the immediate family of James Ocholi. Personally, I have known Ocholi for more than 20 years. We have been friends, both in politics and in Christian service. And I am indeed personally saddened by this and cannot begin to express the grief that we all face.
“Now the bodies have been recovered and deposited in the mortuary and we are waiting for the immediate family and the government for the next line of action. May God comfort all of us Nigerians.”
In his reaction, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West), told journalists his last discussions with Ocholi took place Sunday morning.
He said, “I am shocked, I am still in shock and in pains. I spoke with him this morning and we agreed that we were going to have a chat when he comes back from Kaduna. We have lost somebody; we have lost a great Nigerian; we have lost an intellectual and lawyer. We have lost a great Kogite. I am shocked.
“His death is a major setback for Nigeria because the intellectual sagacity and contribution of Ocholi cannot be quantified. It is painful. When we spoke, we discussed issues that relate to the development of Kogi State. We discussed issues that relate to the socio-economic development of our state. We discussed issues relating to the political development of Kogi State. It is unfortunate that we have lost a great son and Nigerian.”
Other dignitaries who were in National Hospital to receive the corpse of Ocholi, his wife and son include the Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige; Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole; Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Chief Medical Director of National Hospital, Dr. Jafaru Momoh, and spokesperson of the hospital, Dr. Tayo Haastrup
Others are Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN); Minister of Environment, Aisha Mohammed; legal practitioner, Festus Keyamo, and Commissioner of Police in FCT, Wilson Inalegwu.
Meanwhile, Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai has mourned the late Ocholi. Speaking in his facebook post, elRufai said;
“It is with great sadness that the Kaduna State Ministry of Health and Human Services further announces the death of Mrs. Ocholi at Doka Hospital. She was in coma since the accident near Rijana, along the Kaduna-Abuja Road. Earlier, the death of Minister Ocholi and his son were announced. May their souls rest in perfect peace, Amen,” the governor wrote.
James Ocholi: the man
Mr. Ocholi became Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2007.
He was also the Chairman, Disciplinary Committee of Abuja chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association.
In 2011, he was governorship aspirant in Kogi State on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change.
Between 2013 and 2014, he was deputy national legal adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Last year, he sought the APC gubernatorial ticket at the party’s primary election in Kogi State, losing to the late Abubakar Audu. He was appointed minister in 2015.
Mr. Ocholi attended Ochaja Secondary School, and University of Jos.
He graduated from the Nigerian Law School in 1986 and was admitted to Nigerian Bar the same year.
Ocholi’s remains now in the morgue – FRSC
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said that the remains of the late Minister of State for Labour, James Ocholi (SAN), have been deposited at the morgue of the National Hospital, Abuja.
The head of media and strategy to the Corps Marshal, Bisi Kazeem, stated the corpse of the minister and other two casualties were taken to the National Hospital in Abuja.
He noted that the crash that claimed their lives occurred at Kilometre 57, along Kaduna-Abuja highway.
Buhari mourns Ocholi
…Says Ocholi was a key component of the change agenda
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock and sadness at the death of Minister of State for Labour, Mr James Ocholi (SAN), who, together with his wife and son, was killed in a car crash in Kaduna.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media Garba Shehu, Presient Buhari described Ocholi’s death as untimely, lamenting that Nigeria has lost a key component of the Change Agenda.
“Buhari said Ocholi was an accomplished and patriotic Nigerian, who was keen to accept the call to service at a time his country needed him,” he said, adding that in the few months he had been in office, the late minister of state had already begun to distinguish himself through his commitment and dedication to his portfolio.
The late Ocholi has had a long record of political association with President Buhari.
Buhari also consoled with the government and people of Kogi State, whom he described as having lost a distinguished and irreplaceable son. He prayed that God comfort them and grant them the grace to bear the loss.
“The entire country mourns the loss of this great man, who has sadly left us when we need him the most,” he said.
President Buhari has also sent the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr David Babachir, to formally convey the sad news to members of the deceaseds’ family as well as parishioners in his place of worship.
Kogi declares 3-day mourning for Ocholi
Following the demise of the Minister of State of Labour and Employment, Mr James Ochol (SAN), Kogi State has declared Monday to Wednesday as days of mourning.
In a statement by the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, signed by his special adviser on media and strategy, Mallam Abdulkarim Abdulmalik made available to newsmen in Lokoja.
The minister’s death, the statement noted, was a monumental loss to Nigeria and Kogi State.
Governor Yahaya Bello has expressed shock at the death of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barrister James Ocholi.
The governor described the late Ocholi as a pragmatic, dynamic, humane and brilliant law officer, who was known around the world for his dexterous approach to legal and political issues.
The governor said the late minister was one of the most unswerving constitutional lawyers Nigeria has ever produced.
He recollected, with nostalgia, how the late Senior Advocate of Nigeria joined other progressive minded individuals around the country to build the pillars of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He further stated that the late Minister was a detribalized Nigerian who believed in the oneness of the nation, and described his death as an irreparable loss to Kogi State and the nation in general.
He prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed minister.
Ocholi’s death shocking, sad — Oshiomhole
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has described the death of Mr. James Ocholi, his wife and son in a ghastly motor accident as shocking and sad.
In a statement by his chief press secretar Peter Okhiria, Oshiomhole said: “I received, with shock, the sad news of the death of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr James Ocholi (SAN), his wife and son in an auto accident. His death is indeed a colossal loss to the nation, which he served devotedly to the end.
“I had several interactions with the late minister and I found him to be a remarkably frank and patriotic Nigerian with a deep sense of commitment to the nation’s growth. He had a fervent passion to implement the change agenda of Mr President and worked assiduously to leave a lasting legacy in the Labour Ministry where he was Minister of State.
On behalf of his government and people of Edo State, Oshiomhole commiserated with President Muhammadu Buhari, the governor and people of Kogi State and all Nigerians on the sad incident and prayed God to grant the souls of the deceased eternal rest and speedy recovery to the injured.
His legacy at labour ministry
During the ministerial screening last October, Nigerians took to twitter to celebrate the sterling performance of James Enejo Ocholi during his screening before the Senate.
The Kogi-born legal luminary held the nation spell-bound with his incisive analysis on issues that affects the progress of the nation.
After his confirmation and subsequent redeployment to the ministry of labour as a junior minister, Ocholi did not disappoint.
In his first official assignment, which was with management and staff of the Ministry on his first day in office, on 11th November, 2015, the late Ocholi expressed confidence in the expertise of management and staff of the Ministry.
After that official meeting, Ocholi at every event he attended spoke about the need to maintain industrial peace and create jobs for young Nigerians. He never stopped talking about his confidence in President Buhari’s ability to change Nigeria.
In his first official assignment outside Abuja on December 17, 2015, Ocholi travelled more than six hours to Katsina by road for the resettlement of 230 graduates of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) skills acquisition centre in Katsina.
Speaking during the event, he said that at this crucial era of the change mantra, youth employment is central to Nigeria’s developmental quest.
He said, “One of the policy thrusts of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is the reversing of the ugly trends of unemployment and its inherent negative consequences on the social, economic and political scope of the country. In this regard, proactive measures and commitments toward creating decent job opportunities that meet the legitimate demand of, particularly, our youths for self-actualization will be more visible as we implement the 2016 budget and beyond.
“Additionally, in realisation of the need to promote employability among the teeming population of unemployed persons, and given the mandate of the NDE to generating mass employment opportunities, the Directorate would be further strengthened to provide immediate employment opportunities while the real sector, especially agriculture, solid minerals and infrastructure are being developed.”
Ocholi hardly wears any other cloth apart from his red tie and dark suites especially during official duties. He is soft spoken but his biggest legacy will be his commitment to job creation initiative by the federal government and the need to maintain industrial peace. As a matter of fact, he was handling an industrial crisis in the health sector before his death.
In a short tribute, minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige described him as a “competent colleague” and an “industrious servant of our dear nation.”
The statement signed by Nwachukwu Ngige, the special assistant, Media, to the minister of labour and employment reads: “An industrious servant of our dear nation is gone. In him, the Ministry of Labour and Employment has lost such an invaluable intellectual. Personally, I lost a competent colleague and a friend. What a vanity this life is! What an emptiness, what a nothingness we are! I pray that God Almighty, Himself the author of all creations, would give eternal rest to Ocholi, his wife and son. What a sad day!”
Ocholi’s last official assignments
The late James Ocholi was handling the industrial crisis in the health sector following initial threats by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) to embark on a strike.
A source at the ministry told our reporter that the minister had last Wednesday met with officials from the ministry of health as well as JOHESU in order to resolve the crisis.
He said Ocholi took the responsibility of ensuring that the union did not go on strike because it would adversely affect the health sector
The union had given the federal government a 21-day ultimatum, effective from February 18, to meet its demands. However, following the intervention of Ocholi and other stakeholders, the planned nationwide strike to press home improved working conditions was put on hold.
On the same Wednesday, Ocholi received a courtesy visit by the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) at the minister’s conference room where he assured the association that the ministry would give it the necessary backing to achieve autonomy for the local government.
Ocholi and law practice
The late Ocholi (SAN) was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986 after he graduated from the University of Jos.
Born November 26, 1960, Mr. Ocholi, 55, became Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2007.
He was one of earliest legal practitioner in Abuja.
Apart from the former Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, SAN, Ocholi was also one of the lawyers who made the legal profession worth reckoning with in Abuja by virtue of his early relocation to Abuja to practice law.
He was also the chairman, Disciplinary Committee of the Abuja chapter of the NBA.
In 2011, he was governorship aspirant in Kogi State on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change.
Between 2013 and 2014, he was deputy national legal adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He was also in the legal team of President Mohammadu Buhari during the 2011 presidential election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja.
He would be greatly missed in the legal profession as a champion of the rule of law.
When he was nominated as minister by President Buhari last year, many had thought he was going to be the next post of attorney-general of the federation considering his track record in the legal profession.
-Leadership
