NUJ DELTA MOURNS DR. JOSEPH SISANMI OTUMARA, DESCRIBES HIM AS A SELFLESS SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, has received with profound shock and deep sadness the news of the passing of Chief Dr. Joseph Sisanmi Otumara, a distinguished statesman, accomplished administrator, and one of Delta State’s most dedicated public servants.
Dr. Otumara’s death has deprived Delta State of an experienced leader whose life was defined by sound commitment to public service, the welfare of the people, and the development of the state.
As a three-time Chairman of Warri South Local Government Council, (the first and only three-time council chairman in Nigeria), Commissioner for Housing during the administration of former Governor James Ibori, Commissioner for Health throughout the eight-year administration of Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, and pioneer Chairman of the Warri/Uvwie and Environs Development Agency (WUEDA) under the administration of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, a position he continued to hold until his demise under the administration of Rt Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Dr. Otumara left indelible footprints across the various sectors he served.
The NUJ Delta State Council recalls with admiration his exceptional contributions to the transformation of the health sector during the Uduaghan administration. As Commissioner for Health, he played a pivotal role in the conception, implementation and success of several landmark healthcare initiatives that significantly improved access to quality healthcare for the people of Delta State.
Among these were the highly acclaimed Free Under-Five Healthcare Programme, which provided medical care for children below the age of five; the Free Maternal Healthcare Programme, which catered for pregnant women from antenatal care to delivery, including caesarean sections; and the annual Free Rural Healthcare Programme, through which thousands of Deltans and non-Deltans benefitted from free medical consultations, surgeries and treatments for various ailments, including cataracts, fibroids and other health conditions.
His passion, dedication and tireless commitment to healthcare development also contributed immensely to the completion and growth of the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara, which evolved into one of Nigeria’s foremost tertiary healthcare institutions and a reference point in medical excellence. Under his stewardship, the hospital recorded remarkable achievements, including successful kidney transplant procedures, hip replacement surgeries and corrective surgeries for knocked knees, among other groundbreaking medical interventions.
Beyond his impressive public service record, Dr. Otumara was widely respected for his humility, accessibility, compassion and uncommon dedication to the welfare of others. He exemplified the highest ideals of public service and demonstrated rare altruistic tendencies in the discharge of his responsibilities. His life was a true to the belief that leadership is most meaningful when it is anchored on service to humanity.
The NUJ Delta State Council notes that his legacy transcends politics and public office. He will be remembered as a bridge-builder, a development-oriented administrator and a patriot whose contributions positively impacted countless lives across Delta State and beyond.
While mourning this painful loss, the Council takes solace in the enduring legacies he left behind through the institutions he strengthened, the policies he championed and the lives he touched.
The Council extends its heartfelt condolences to his immediate family, the palace and people of Warri Kingdom, the Delta State Government, associates, friends and all who are grieving this monumental loss.
We pray that Almighty God grants his departed spirit eternal rest and gives his loved ones the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
Signed:
Comrade Churchill Oyowe,
Chairman, NUJ Delta State Council
Comrade Josephine Omodior,
Acting Secretary, NUJ Delta State Council
