The Grand Council of Yoruba Youths (GCYY) on Thursday described the death of Mr Tony Uranta, a human rights activist, as painful.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Uranta, 67, a prominent civil rights activist and Niger Delta chieftain, passed on Wednesday afternoon at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
Reacting, Mr Bamiji Awa, President General of the GCYY, said the late Uranta would not be forgotten easily by the civil society organisations.
“It is very painful to lose Tony Uranta now. It is more painful particularly that this happened when the civil societies across globe are warming up for the 20th remembrance anniversary of late Bola Ige.
“We have lost a member and it is very painful. Tony Uranta is somebody we cannot forget,” Awa, also the Executive President, Bola Ige Centre for Justice, said.
He said that Uranta played an unforgettable role during the Pro-National Conference and several civil society activities in and outside Lagos.
Awa, who noted that Uranta was a detribalised human rights activist, said that civil society across the globe were mourning the deceased.
“He was from south-south but he lived the reasonable part of his life in Lagos State. There is no way we can forget him.
“As we mourn him, the civil society from south-south are mourning him and the civil society across the globe will be mourning him at the same time.
“It is very painful that this happened four weeks to Bola Ige’s 20th remembrance. It is very painful,” he added.
NAN reports that Uranta, a Niger Delta chieftain, was a member of the Federal Government’s Technical Committee on Niger Delta; Executive Secretary, Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Executive Secretary, United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), Executive Secretary of the Nigeria National Summit Group (NNSG) among others.
