Mr. John Odey, a former minister in the Ministry of Information and Ministry of Environment, has died in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday Punch reports.
Odey was said to have died on Sunday after being hospitalised for several weeks over suspected cancer.
The former minister was reportedly flown to Dubai following deterioration in his health after battling with cancer for a long time.
In his reaction, Governor Ben Ayade, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, expressed shock and sadness over the death of the former minister, adding that the news of his demise was depressing.
He described Odey’s departure as a monumental loss to the government and people of Cross River State.
Ayade said, “We have lost an illustrious son, a good ambassador of Cross River. Our state is in shock. Cross River is grieving because Odey’s death is a huge loss to our dear state.
“The pain of Odey’s demise is too heavy in my heart to bear.”
Eulogising the virtues of the late minister, Ayade recalled that Odey was a patriot who meticulously discharged the duties assigned to him creditably.
“Not only was Odey a loyal party man of the PDP family, he was a quintessential gentleman and a team player whose imprints as the party’s National Publicity Secretary and later, Minister of Environment, are there for everyone to see,” the governor added.
Odey was a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party.
He also served as a treasurer of the party in Cross River State as well as Commissioner for Agriculture.
He was appointed Minister of Information and Communications in July 2007, and became Minister of Environment in December 2008 after the then President Umaru Yar’Adua reshuffled his cabinet.
Odey had a Bachelor of Science degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Calabar in 1986.
He was born on November 1, 1959.