Veteran labor leader and former General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Chief Frank Kokori, passed away on Thursday, December 7, 2023.
His death, coinciding with his 80th birthday, occurred at 1:30 am at Mount Horeb Clinic in Warri, Delta State.
Chief Kokori had been battling kidney-related issues since early November. His condition worsened on Monday, leading to him being placed on life support and losing the ability to interact with his surroundings.
His death comes just a month after his heartfelt plea from his hospital bed, where he expressed feeling neglected and abandoned.
Despite his immense contributions to Nigeria’s democratic development, he felt forgotten and left to face his illness alone.
Several dignitaries, including Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and officials from NUPENG, visited Chief Kokori during his hospitalization. Governor Oborevwori even covered his medical bills, along with those of two other patients.
Despite his illness, Chief Kokori remained hopeful, sharing with reporters on November 9th his expectation of recovering and returning home soon.
Unfortunately, his health took a turn for the worse, leading to his passing on his birthday.
Kokori was known for his fierce stand against the military junta of late General Sani Abacha in the early 90s over the annulment of the historical June 12 1993 presidential elections.
