A prominent labour leader and deputy national president of the Trade Union Congress, Chika Onuegbu, is dead.
Onuegbu, an economist and former TUC chairman in Rivers State was said to have passed on the early hours of Saturday after a brief illness.
Onuegbu, an indigene of Rivers State has been an active labour leader and public commentator within the State and Nigeria as a whole.
Sources said he complained of headache early Saturday and was rushed to the hospital where he gave up the ghost.
The State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Mrs. Beatrice Itubo, confirmed Onuegbu’s death, saying the NLC was informed about the incident on Saturday morning.
Itubo said, “Yes, it is true. Early hours of this morning they informed us and we also sent people and we went to confirm.
“It is really terrible. I didn’t hear that he was sick. It is just this morning somebody told me that he had a headache and went to the clinic and they were taking care of him, then suddenly early hours of this morning he gave up the ghost.
“It is really terrible. This is happening at a time when Chika Onurgbu’s boldness and bravery are needed most. We have very unfriendly administrations this period, both in the public and private sector.
“Each time we are faced with some of these terrible situations he is one of the people that will stand out and also speak out his mind. It is really devastating that this kind of thing is happening at this time,” she added.
