A Special Assistant to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Dr. Benike Joseph was on Saturday, laid to rest at his hometown, Obotebe, Burutu Local Government Area.
Daily Report Nigeria reports that Benike died on March 8 after almost three weeks in coma following fatal car accident on February 20.
A lecturer with the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Benike sustained injuries to the head, leading to an internal bleeding.
He had undergone a successful surgery at a specialist hospital in Asaba, the state capital following the crash that occured along the Kwale-Asaba road.
Until his death, Benike was renown for his strategic inputs and political calculations in Burutu local government area.
At his funeral on Saturday, speaker after speaker recounted the late DELSU lecturer’s invaluable political and moral influence on their lives.
Benike served as Director-General of several campaign organizations and was an integral part of the Solomon Funkekeme-led Delta State Campaign Organization of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded elections.
He previously contested for the House of Representatives seat in Burutu Federal Constituency and is regarded as a torchbearer for many young politicians and education enthusiasts.
He was a frontline candidate for the Council’s chairmanship in the forthcoming local government elections in Delta State until his death.
Benike died aged 51, and is survived by his wife, Mrs. Esther Peremoboere Benike and two elder siblings.
Dignitaries at the ceremony include Julius Pondi, rep member Burutu Federal Constituency; Solomon Funkeke, DG PDP Campaign Council; Dr. Julius Takeme, Chairman PDP Delta South; Godknows Angele, Chairman Burutu Council; Alapala Ebitonmo, member-elect, Burutu Constituency 1; Dan Yingi, former DTHA member; Chief Boro Opudu amongst others.
