2nd Republic senator ofifia Nwali dies in mysterious circumstances, aged 74

Pix 1 Governor Umahi in painful mood during his condolence visit to the Offia Nwali family on Monday.

Pix 2 The pond where Sen Offia Nwali’s body was found behind his residence .

Pix 3 Gov David Umahi (with microphone), Deputy Gov Kelechi Igwe (sitting next to the gov), Secretary to the State Government, Prof Benard Odoh, wife of the Deceased, members of the Nwali family and state executive council members at the residence of the late first republic senator.

His death has been confirmed by the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, who has already paid a condolence visit to his family.

Offia Nwali is a community leader and researcher from Ebonyi State who is the chief of Ameka, a small town in the state.

He was educated at Brown University and Harvard (Phd, 1966). He then worked with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research before returning to Nigeria after the civil war. He worked with the East Central Data Processing Center and was later elected a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1979.  He defeated his closest opponent S.O. Mgbada by about 80, 000 votes to win the Anambra East senatorial constituency.

He lost family members in an airplane crash in the early 1980s.

Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State has described Offia Nwali’s     as “a great blow” to the state.

Umahi, who led members of the State Executive Council to the country home of the deceased   at Ameka, Ezza South Local Government Area on Monday, said he had to cut short his visit outside the state “because of the degree of what has happened to Ebonyi State.”

      “We are here first, to sympathize with you because it(his death) is   quite tragic.   We never expected it.   We never dreamt of it,” he told members of the Nwali family who received him.

Umahi recalled Nwali's   roles in the creation   and unity   of Ebonyi State   as well as his robust contributions to debates when he served as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The governor said,” I recall   the invaluable contributions of this great son of Ebonyi State to national development. He was a shining star whose robust contributions on the floor of the Senate cannot be forgotten in a hurry. He played a pivotal role in the creation of our dear state. His death is a great blow to us a state.

The governor   warned against bickering in the Nwali   family, saying, “We will stand against anybody that wants to make trouble because we don't want a second dead man.”

Umahi assured them that if   they put their     “house in order, I can assure you that Ebonyi State Government would stand by you.”

He thanked God for preserving Dr. Nwali's life up till now, adding that “not many people will weather what he weathered through and still have to put himself together.”

Responding, the first son of the deceased, Emmanuel Nwali expressed his appreciation on the visit of the governor and assured him that the family   would   remain peaceful during and after the burial of their     father.

Nwali died mysteriously on Sunday at the age of 74. His body was found in a pond behind his residence.

A close family source said he had gone to inspect his farm but slipped into pond.