BENIN CITY- The Founder of the Pan-Ora Socio-Cultural group, Ora Ekpen Development Association, ODA, and its current President, Professor Samuel Ifije Ahonkhai is dead.

Professor Ahonkhai passed on Friday at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan. He retired as a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria after over 35 years of meritorious service.

Born on 18th July, 1944 at Sabongidda-Ora in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria, Professor Ahonkhai is an author of several books including “Understanding Nature: The Dance of a Chemist.”

He is the founder of the Ora-Ekpen Development Association, ODA, a socio-cultural organisation that has championed the development of all the Ora communities in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State Nigeria in the past thirty five years.

His death weekend shook the academic world and the entire Ora clan in Edo State forcing an emergency meeting of the ODA Executive in Benin Monday evening . At the well attended meeting, Vice President of the Association, Sir Rotimi Arumemi-Johnson urged members not to weep for long or wear long faces for the departed but that they should all honour him by ensuring that the ODA continues to soar and work harder to meet the yearnings and aspirations of all Ora sons and daughters both at home and in the Diaspora.

“We are encouraged that Professor Ahonkhai died in active service of his Ora people. He was a great leader of Ora people and we would forever remember him for being the humble founder of ODA. I urge you all to join hands together and contribute to the advancement of all Ora communities and its people which our brother and leader stood for all his life,” Rotimi Arumemi-Johnson said.

Meanwhile, The Nigeria Observer learnt that a family meeting of the Ahonkhais was scheduled to hold on Tuesday, June 6, 2017. Burial arrangements for the fallen Professor of Chemistry is expected to be announced by the family in due course and all ODA members have been put on the red alert to play active roles in all activities that would be lined up to give their late president a befitting burial.