Nigeria Loses Distinguished Soldier and Statesman, Maj-Gen. Paul Omu at 84
IGBIDE/Nigeria: The family of Major General Paul Ufuoma Omu (Rtd), former Military Governor of the old Cross River State and one of Nigeria’s finest military officers and nation-builders, has announced his passing at the age of 84.
In a statement issued and signed by Oghenekome Ufuoma Omu on behalf of the family, General Omu, who hailed from Igbide in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, died on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, after a life of distinguished public service and national contribution.
General Omu was a respected soldier, statesman, patriot, and community leader whose career was defined by unwavering loyalty to Nigeria and deep commitment to the advancement of the Isoko people. He rose through the ranks of the Nigerian Army, holding key command and administrative positions during some of Nigeria’s most defining moments.
He served as Military Governor of the former South-Eastern State—now Cross River and Akwa Ibom States—from July 1975 to July 1978. His tenure was marked by groundbreaking infrastructural development and reforms that laid a solid foundation for the region’s growth.
In 1985, General Omu was appointed Commander of the prestigious Command and Staff College and became a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council, the highest policy-making body in Nigeria at the time, where he helped shape national security and defense strategy.
A pivotal figure in Nigeria’s democratic transition, General Omu was appointed Chairman of the Constitutional Conference Commission in 1994, where he played a leading role in the discourse that shaped Nigeria’s path back to civil rule. His statesmanship and integrity earned him broad national respect.
In September 2009, then-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua appointed him Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Nigeria’s foremost think tank, a role he performed with depth, diligence, and patriotic insight.
General Omu’s legacy also lives on in his community leadership. As President of the Isoko Development Union (IDU) from 2014 to 2015, he championed causes that advanced unity, education, and empowerment in Isoko land. His calm diplomacy and inclusive leadership endeared him to many within and outside Delta State.
He is survived by his wife, Senator Chief (Mrs) Stella Omu, six children, siblings, grandchildren, and a grateful nation that deeply mourns his passing.
Burial arrangements will be announced in due course.
