THE DEATH OF SENATOR DALTON ASEMOTA
this is an account of the events that occured at senator Dahlton Ogieva Asemota’s passing from Dr.Nowa Omoigui’s website.
he was a great man who was in the forefront of the struggle to create the midwest division of nigeria shortly after nigeria’s independence.
the edo and delta states as well as some other states ion the region exist today because of the work of this great man and others who believed in the peoples of the region.
i wish he had lived to see the fruit of his labour…..
At the end of April 1963, Senator Asemota came to Lagos to attend a scheduled meeting of the Senate. The Senate adjourned on April 29th, and so he made plans to return to Benin on May 2nd. On May 1st, however, he woke up early and telephoned his older brother Pa Elekhuoba Asemota to tell him that he would be returning to Benin the next day. Then he went to the General Hospital in Lagos to see Dr. Laja in follow-up to a Chest X-ray he had earlier ordered. Dr. Laja gave him a prescription, some of which the Hospital pharmacy did not have, so he was asked to find them at a private pharmacy. From the hospital he went shopping but returned home at about 3 pm to take his medications on an empty stomach. After this he left for the Commercial Medicine Store on Nnamdi Azikiwe Street owned by his friend, Senator Wusu from Badagry. On arrival he handed the prescription to his friend who in turn gave it to his assistants to get the medications. Meanwhile Senator Asemota was resting on the counter along with his wife, Onaiwu, waiting on the prescription. Then suddenly, and without warning he slumped.
He was then rushed to the General Hospital Casualty department. His wife then came to my family house on MacDonald Avenue in Ikoyi, Lagos, where we were neighbours to Chief Anthony Enahoro on our back side and Dr. Rilwan, a well known Lagos physician, on the other. Dr. Rilwan, my parents, and Mrs Onaiwu Asemota rushed back to the hospital to find out what was happening, only to be directed to the mortuary where the Senator’s lifeless body was lying. It was my father that had the unenviable responsibility to break the devastating news to Chiefs Omo-Osagie and Okotie-Eboh. Chief Omo-Osagie notified Pa Elekhuoba Asemota in Benin.
Meanwhile, my father went to Dr. Laja’s house to get permission for release and embalmment. While on their way to the hospital the Doctor said the Senator had had an enlarged Heart on Chest X-ray. When Senator Asemota asked him how his Chest X-Ray looked, he told him: “It is okay, Papa.” to which the Senator responded by smiling.
Senator Dalton Asemota, the consensus builder, did not live to see the Midwest he worked so hard to make possible. Descended from Chief Osemwota, the Eson, and a descendant of the Ezomo Nehenua family of Benin, and Madam Iyeye Ero, the later Senator was buried in the Asemota family compound after a sermon led by Reverend Akinluyi at the St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Benin City [personal communication, Mr. DA Omoigui]. He was replaced as Chairman of the Midwest Planning Committee by Chief Morgan Agbontaen his friend and colleague.
Footnote-
Children and grandchildren of the late senator –
In this note: Gloria Noren, Joy Ozigbo, Magnus O’Esere, Nosa Oe, Rosemary Oby Allanah Ehiemua, Samsie Asemota, Mrs. DeeDee Chukuka, Nosa Asemota, Tommy E. Asemota, aiyudubie asemota, Mrs.nogieru igbinoba, Mrs izogie ozigbo-Esere, Mrs.aiyomoron Ehiemua, Mrs oghogho anyaru, Paul Asemota, Sophy Enogie Asemota, Owens Asemota, Victor Osaretinvbeniyaghagha Asemota II, Thomas Asemota, Asemota Peter, Ayanru Izzy, Omoragbon R. Ayanru, Osahon Ayanru, Ewaen Ehiemua, Oare Ehiemua, Ike Asemota, Eseosa Asemota, Asemota B Josh, Asemota Ikponmwosa, Asemota Adesuwa, Asemota Uyi, ozigbo_esere dahlton osayuamen and Asemota Dahlton Jnr
Should add some More names to this later and organise it completely.
skinplusng 