Umahi mourns ex-health minister’s elder brother

Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi, has expressed shock on the death of Prof. Austin Chukwu, the elder brother to the former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu.

It was reported that Austin, a literary scholar, died on Monday at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, after a brief illness.

Umahi in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Emmanuel Uzor, described Austin’s death as a monumental loss to the family, state and Nigeria as a whole.

Umahi said Austin, a Professor of English language and the immediate past Dean, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi; was a literary giant and an academic guru.

“He contributed immensely to the development of education in Ebonyi and Nigeria in general, as he was part of the efforts to re-mould the society, especially through arts,” he said.

The governor prayed God to grant Austin’s soul eternal rest and give his wife Christiana, the entire Chukwu family, relations, friends and well-wishers, the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

“I urge them to be consoled with the fact that Austin lived a fulfilled life and imparted his abundant knowledge to the younger generation and the wider society.

“I also urge them to immortalise the late sage by upholding his indelible virtue as a teacher, father and mentor,” he said.