Diri mourns former minister, Turner Isoun, says Ijaw nation has lost ‘a father’

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has described the passing of former Minister of Science and Technology, Turner Isoun, as a profound loss for the Ijaw nation, Bayelsa State, and Nigeria. The governor led a state government delegation to offer condolences to the Isoun family in Abuja.

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more father than a mentor

Isoun, a professor of veterinary medicine and pathology, died on July 15 at the age of 87. He served as Minister of Science and Technology from 2000 to 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo and was the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt. Governor Diri remembered him as "more father than a mentor," acknowledging his substantial contributions to the Ijaw struggle and the development of the riverine state.

Governor Diri lauded Isoun as an "academic colossus" whose impact on scholarship, science, and national development was "outstanding and immeasurable." He specifically noted Isoun's role in advancing Nigeria's information and communications technology sector during his ministerial tenure. The governor added that the Odi-born scientist would be remembered for his "candour, wise counsel and commitment to Ijaw socio-cultural values."

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outstanding and immeasurable

Recalling Isoun's dedication to the Ijaw cause, Governor Diri shared an anecdote from 1995. Following the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) drafted a letter of condemnation. Despite the risks associated with opposing the military government, Isoun, then chairman of the INC's Central Zone, signed the document without hesitation, a gesture that deeply impressed Diri, who was then the INC's National Organising Secretary.

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candour, wise counsel and commitment to Ijaw socio-cultural values

Isoun's influence extended to environmental advocacy and education. Governor Diri remembered his work at the Wetland Centre in Yenagoa, where he taught young people, including the governor himself, about environmental protection. His involvement in resource control, environmental preservation, and the creation of Bayelsa State left "unforgettable footprints," Diri stated, urging the family to find solace in his significant contributions.

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That was how seriously Prof took Ijaw matters