4th April, 2021
By Muhaimin Olowoporoku
Nigerian Civil Society Leader and former West Africa Ford Foundation’s representative, Innocent Chukwuma is dead.
He died Saturday evening of blood cancer aged 55 according to his friend, Edetaen Ojo.
“With profound shock & sadness, I regret to inform you that Innocent Chukwuma passed away a few hours ago, in the evening of April 3. May his soul rest in peace” announced Ojo.
Ojo, a friend to Mr. Chukwuma is a frontline freedom of expression advocate and executive director of the Media Rights Agenda.
The deceased was popular as a student union activist at the University of Nigeria, where he read religious studies in the ’90s.
Chukwuma after graduation joined a cluster of young activists who came to bloom at the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Nigeria’s first human rights organization led by Olisa Agbakoba.
Mr. Chidi Odinkalu, a former chairman of the Nigeria Human Rights Commission who worked alongside the deceased described him as a companion and faithful friend.
“I knew him for nearly 35 [and] I am grateful for the privilege,” Mr. Odinkalu said, recalling that “In all things, as my late mum always said, we must learn to give thanks … he was a man of decency.”
Mr. Chukwuma served previously as the Ford Foundation’s representative for West Africa after his master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Leicester in the UK.
Chukwumma’s death came as Nigeria’s civil society community still grieves from the demise of Yinka Odumakin, a political activist who succumbed to COVID-19 complications on Saturday morning.
Chukwumma’s death has led to another round of mourning in the country as several people are paying tribute to the late Civil Society Leader.
Innocent Chukwuma;another tragic loss of a patriot.Death hath taken away one of the brightest.May his Soul Rest In Peace.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) April 4, 2021
Nigerian civil society leader, Innocent Chukwuma, is dead.
The last time I spoke to him he was telling me that he was going to move to the UK and write his book. 😪
May he RIP. I hope someone still documents his incredible legacy.
— Dr Ola Brown (@NaijaFlyingDr) April 4, 2021
What a terrible Easter. Losing two comrades and friends I shared trenches with – as students leaders, human rights and pro-democracy activists – is crushing.
Yesterday it was Yinka Odumakin.
Today, it is Innocent Chukwuma.
Both hurts.
InnoEasi, rest in power
— Great Oracle (@AbdulMahmud01) April 4, 2021
The everyday death news is so sad.
Yesterday it was Yinka Odumakin.
Today, it is Innocent Chukwuma.
May God continue to have mercy on us.
— Wale Adetona (@iSlimfit) April 4, 2021
Oh my God! Innocent Chukwuma, the civil society guru formerly of Ford Foundation, is dead? Gosh! What a loss!! May his soul rest in peace.
— Dr. Joe Abah (@DrJoeAbah) April 4, 2021
Innocent Chukwuma? Come on cancer, come on!!! A great man cut down down in the prime of his life. This is a terrible loss. Most terrible loss.
— Chioma Agwuegbo (@ChiomaChuka) April 4, 2021