Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has commended Chairman of Zenith Bank PLC, Mr Jim Ovia, for his contributions to humanity and the development of Nigeria.

Okowa gave the commendation on Wednesday at the Government House, Asaba, while receiving Ovia who visited him in condolences over the death of his father, Sir Okorie Okowa.

He said that the Zenith chairman had contributed immensely in making life better for Nigerians, especially in Delta, and urged him not to relent.

The governor appealed to the wealthy in the society to use their God-given blessings to impact on the society and make life more meaningful for the people.

He thanked Ovia for the visit, saying “I am very happy about this condolence visit even when you have spoken with me on the phone. Taking time out of your very busy schedule to be here very early in the day on a working day shows how much love you have for me and my family.

“We give thanks to God for it has pleased Him to call our father because He gave him the opportunity to live a full life at the age of 88 and we cannot but say `thank you to God’.

“We realise that we feel the pain and the pains do not just go immediately but we are consoled by the fact that during the course of his life, he had the opportunity to make his own mark as a school teacher, in the political arena where he was my great adviser and also as a community leader, where he played his role.

“In the church, the Anglican Communion, he played several roles and was a Knight of the Communion. So, we are glad that he has lived a full life and we give honour and glory to God.

“Since he passed on, we have had lots of condolence messages and visits from across the country and that has consoled us a lot because it shows how much love people have for my family and your visit here today is something we truly appreciate as a family,’’ he said.

To Ovia, Okowa said “we thank God for your life and we thank God for the impact you are making in our nation and our community.

“We do not take all your efforts for granted and we will continue to also look up to you and we ask that you continue to render support because at the level you have attained, all you need to do now is to continue to assist mankind to make life better.

“I know that you are doing a lot but I pray that God will give you the enablement to continue to make your contributions to our people, to our state and our nation.’’

Earlier, Mr Ovia, who was in company of the Executive Director of the bank, Mr Dennis Olisa and Group Zonal Head in Delta, Mr Lucky Ighade, had said that he was in Asaba to pay his condolences to the Governor and his family on the passing of their father.

He pledged the support of the bank towards giving the late patriarch of the Okowa family a deserved funeral.