Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, on Friday paid condolence visit on national elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, over the death of his younger brother, the renowned poet, Emeritus Prof. (Dr.) John Pepper Clark.
TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the literary icon died on Tuesday, October 13, 2020 in the comforting arms of his wife, children and siblings.
The governor who came with his entourage, said that, on behalf of his family, the government, and the people of Bauchi State, he had come to pay condolence visit on the national elder statesman, over the death of his younger brother.
Mohammed said the loss of Prof. J. P. Clark, and it’s attendant pains, is not only felt by the Clark family, but also by the people of Bauchi State. He said that the Clark family has contributed a lot to the development of Nigeria in various aspects, as in the case of the late Prof. J. P. Clark, whose works, poems and poetry enriched the nation’s education curriculum.
The governor described himself as a beneficiary of the intellectualism of the late Prof. because as secondary school students, they read and acted his works and plays. He said even though the death was a big blow to the literary world, Prof. J. P. Clark lives on in his works which will be continually read by even generations yet unborn, and people will know that there was once a man.
Meanwhile, Governor Mohammed has described the elder statesman and elder brother to late Prof. J. P. Clark, Chief Edwin Clark as the most misunderstood person in the country by those who do not know him well. The governor said having had the opportunity of working closely with Chief Edwin Clark, he knows that he is a true nationalist. He also said that despite Chief Clark’s popularity and connections, he was surprised to see him living in a rented modest house in Abuja, while people were allocating houses and plots of land to their family members, friends and cronies who have not served this country up to a quarter of the way Chief Clark has done. He felt that it was wrong, that true nationalists should be appreciated in the country, especially when they are still alive, in order to motivate others; and that was why he deemed it fit that a house be sold to him in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Street named after him, during his tenure as FCT Minister.
He stated that despite the fact that he is from the northern part of the country, Chief Clark is his father, and that he is quite confident and proud describing him as such, and also as his boss’s mentor.
In his response, Chief Edwin Clark thanked the Governor for the visit, and also asked him to convey his sincere appreciation, on behalf of the Clark-Bekederemo family, to the people of Bauchi State.
He said that the out pour of tributes to his late brother, Prof. J. P. Clark, both nationally and internationally, from President Muhammadu Buhari, to everybody else, is quite humbling and in fact gives the family strong solace and consolation; that the pleasant tributes, will remain as fond memories to the family.
