A former Deputy Governor of Delta State and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Amos Utuama, has died at the age of 77.
It was learnt that Utuama, a former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, died in Warri in the early hours of Saturday after a protracted illness.
The deceased, a former senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), was the state deputy governor from 2007 to 2015 under the administration of former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.
In a statement on Saturday by his Chief Press Secretary, Festus Aho, the state Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, confirmed Utuama’s death and sent condolences to the family of the late Utuama.
Oborevwori prayed to God to accept the deceased’s soul and grant fortitude to the family and friends he left to bear the loss.
The statement read, “The deceased was a world-class academic scholar whose teachings and research undertakings had contributed immensely to the Nigerian legal profession and jurisprudence.
“On behalf of the government and people of Delta, I mourn the passing of a gentleman, a scholar, and an astute politician, Professor Amos Agbe Utuama, SAN, who passed away in Warri on Saturday.
“I received the devastating news of his death with great shock. He was a gentleman politician and scholar who distinguished himself in the service of his people, first as Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state and later as Deputy Governor of the state.
“Throughout his service to the state and country, Prof. Utuama demonstrated commitment to the unity and development of the state.”