By YJ Itopa
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, has condoled with the former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Barrister Phillips Salawu Ph.D, over the death of his Centenarian Mother, Alice Onozare Salawu.
The matriarch of the Salawus, died peacefully on Tuesday at 9 a:m on the 9th June, 2026 in her country home, Ihima, while she was set to go for her bath.
Mrs Salawu lived for one hundred and seven (107) years. Mama Onozare betrayed no sign of frailty or even outright sickness before her admirable death.
Consoling with Salawu, Governor Ododo, who spoke glowingly of his deceased mother through his Commissioner of Works, Barrister Momodu Ozidgi Abdulsalam Deedat, told Salawu to take heart because his late mother had lived a fulfilled life, describing her as a woman of exemplary conduct who had positively touched many lives while she lived.
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He said inter alia: “Your Excellency, on behalf of Kogi State Government, I condole with you. And I pray that God will give you the fortitude to bear the big loss. We thank God for Mama, for a life well spent. She was a virtuous woman who was known to have worked hard to train you and your siblings, giving you good and sound upbringing in terms of education, moral probity and religiousness which result manifests today in your illustrious life and that of your siblings. It is good that Mama lived long to reap the reward of her labour.
Speaking further, the Governor praised Salawu for his achievements and peaceful disposition while he served as Deputy to Ex-Governor Ibrahim Idris (Ibro).
“The peaceful nature of the Government of His Excellency, Alhaji Usman Ododo, which has ushered in persistent peace, progress and mutual love in the State is a consolidation of the achievements of the former deputy governor.
We have both the intangible and the tangible achievements. The peace that we are witnessing in the State today is the intangible that has enabled Governor Ododo to continue to turn the whole State to a massive site of infrastructural development without distractions. This is the tangible. This is what peace and security can bring to the State. Ododo is working hard to keep consolidating on the gains of his people-oriented government.
“Because of Salawu’s style of leadership that accommodates everybody, look at people from all walks of life, irrespective of political affiliations coming to Ihima today to identify with him in his moment of grief. Members of All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic party(PDP) and other Parties are well present here. Our politics should be politics without bitterness. This is what our leader, Phillips Salawu is known for and it is same with Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo. And this is what is good for the State as a whole.” He concluded.
The bereaved thanked Governor Ododo and other top notch members of his Government for paying condolences to him over his mother’s death, Salawu praised his deceased mother, Onozare, for the decent way in which she brought him and his siblings up when their father died, at the time they were far from finding their feet.
“My mother gave us good upbringing. I am grateful to her for the sacrifices and her labour. Our father died 56 years ago (1970). Yet, she stayed here with us, working hard for a good life for us. She was really a virtuous woman. I call on other women to emulate her by training their children. May we have many of my mother in our communities.” He concluded.
Ex-Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, Sen. Natasha Akpot and her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduagha and many of his political associates spread across the country have continue to express their sympathies to him on his mother’s death. Ohinoyi Ebira, HRM, Alhaji Tijani Ahmed Muhammad Anaje, many other traditional rulers were in Ihima to pay royal condolences to him.
