By Ayomide Otitoju
Elder statesman and leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, has passed away at the age of 97.
His death was confirmed by a family representative, Prof. C. C. Clark, in a statement released on Tuesday.
“The Clark-Fuludu Bekederemo family of Kiagbodo Town, Delta State, wishes to announce the passing of Chief (Dr.) Sen. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, OFR, CON, on Monday, 17th February 2025. The family appreciates your prayers at this time. Other details will be announced later by the family,” the statement read.
A Legacy of Advocacy and Mediation
Clark, a former Federal Commissioner for Information and prominent South-South leader, was a leading voice in the fight for regional development and national unity. Throughout his career, he played a key role in mediating peace among warring communities and politicians in the Niger Delta region.
In October 2024, he spearheaded efforts to reconcile Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his political godfather, Nyesom Wike, by setting up a reconciliation committee led by former Akwa Ibom Governor Obong Victor Attah.
His passing comes just four days after the death of Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the leader of Afenifere, a prominent pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group.
Champion of Restructuring and Federalism
Clark was an advocate for restructuring Nigeria’s governance system. In 2022, he joined other patriots at the Greater Nigeria Conference in Abuja, which deliberated on the emergence of a South-East President.
In November 2023, alongside Adebanjo and other eminent leaders, he renewed calls for true federalism, urging the full implementation of the 2014 National Conference report—a document he believed contained solutions to Nigeria’s political and socio-economic challenges.
Clark’s passing marks the end of an era for Niger Delta activism and national unity advocacy, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Nigeria’s political and socio-economic landscape.
