James Enejoh Ocholi, minister of state for labour and productivity, and his second son, Aaron, died on Sunday in a ghastly car crash along the Kaduna-Abuja highway.
According to a family source, the minister and his son died at the scene of the crash, while his wife (Blessing Fatima Lucy Ocholi) and driver, who are presently in coma, are receiving treatment in Doka Clinic several kilometres from Kaduna.
His corpse was deposited at the mortuary of the National Hospital, Abuja, at about 6:48pm on Sunday.
Eyewitness said the late minister’s car had a burst tyre after which it somersaulted several times.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari had expressed shock and sadness at the death of Ocholi, saying Nigeria had lost a key component of the ‘Change’ agenda.
A statement by the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said the President described the minister as an accomplished and patriotic Nigerian “who was keen to accept the call to service at a time his country needed him.”
Efforts to reach Samuel Olowookere, the minister’s deputy director, press/public relations, proved abortive as he did not pick his calls nor respond to text message sent.
Ocholi was a representative of Kogi State in the federal cabinet.
Few weeks ago, Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, mandated Ocholi to chair the Ministerial Committee on Oil and Gas Sector to consider modalities for achieving retention of jobs in view of current challenges facing the oil and gas sector.
Born on November 26, 1960, Ocholi was the first male, but second child of Mr. and Mrs. James Momoh Odoh.
In 2013, Ocholi served as member, merger committee that gave birth to All Progressives Congress (APC) and chairman, Compliance and Registration Committee of the merger committee. The committee ensured that the constitutional requirement for the merger and the registration of the new party, were fulfilled.
He also served as Deputy National Legal Adviser-All Progressive Congress (APC) between 2013-2014.
He contested in the 2015 Kogi Gubernatorial election but lost at the primary election.
Before his appointment as the Minister in the President Buhari’s cabinet, Ocholi was the Principal Partner, Ocholi James, SAN & Associates.
He became a Notary Public of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 10/05/2007; and bagged the highest office in legal profession as Senior Advocate of Nigeria on 12/12/2007.
Ocholi, served as Chairman Disciplinary Committee Nigeria Bar Association, FCT between 2009 – 2010; National Secretary, Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI), Nigeria from 2009 to date and Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Salem University, Lokoja-Kogi state.
He was a Member/Secretary judicial commission of enquiry into the inter-ethnic clashes at Kogi Polytechnic, Lokoja in 2001; Member/Secretary Kogi state contract and appointment review panel in 1999; Member, steering committee family support program (FSP), Kogi state Government in 1995; Secretary, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Kogi state in 1991 and Speaker, House of Parliament, University of Jos (Student) between 1883-1984.
In the University of Jos, he was elected to represent my hostel as a member of the Student Union Parliament. Upon the inauguration of the parliamentarians, conducted a highly competitive election for the leadership of the house. I won overwhelmingly and became the Speaker of Student Union Parliament (1983/1984).
During his National Youth Service Corp, Ocholi was engrossed in cutting my teeth in the legal profession.
In 1991, he became the 1st Secretary of the Kogi State Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), before the emergence of the Okiwe, Idah and Lokoja branches.
