*Describe him as a true nationalist, the architect of unity
By Ogbagah Matthias
DELTA – The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has joined the rest of the world to pay glowing tribute to the Army General, late Major General Paul Ufuoma Omu (rtd), describing him as a true nationalist, elder statesman, and champion of Nigerian unity, whose legacy will continue to shape the country for generations.
PANDEF in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini, the Forum’s National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, praised the late General’s significant contributions to national peace, particularly in the Niger Delta region.
The statement recalled Omu’s vital role in facilitating the Amnesty Presidential Pardon that helped bring peace to the oil-rich but restive region.
The press statement stated in part: “General Paul Omu was more than a soldier; he was a patriot who committed his life to building a united Nigeria. His quiet diplomacy and strategic input during the Amnesty Programme were crucial in ending years of militancy in the Niger Delta,” Igali stated.
Amb. Igali also extolled the late army general’s support for his wife, Senator Stella Omu, whom he encouraged to serve in the Nigerian Senate. He highlighted her role in the Chief Victor Attah-led reconciliation efforts during the Rivers political crisis—an issue currently being permanently resolved under President Bola Tinubu.
In her emotional tribute during the PANDEF condolence visit to the family of late General Omu, his wife, Senator Stella Omu, described her husband as “a true father, not only in the military and governance, but also in the home.”
Late General Paul Omu’s eldest son, Oghenekome Ufuoma Omu, recounted fond memories of the family’s final moments with the late patriarch, describing him as a man always eager to help others.
According to him, “Any help he couldn’t render was not because he didn’t want to, but because it was not possible. We are not mourning him; we are celebrating a life of impact,” Oghenekome said.
Born in Delta State’s Isoko Nation, Gen. Paul Omu joined the Nigerian Army on December 10, 1962, alongside notable contemporaries such as Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Bello, and Garba Duba. He was commissioned as an officer on July 25, 1963, after completing training at Mons Officer Cadet School in the United Kingdom.
Omu served as Governor of the old South-Eastern State and chaired the Lagos Zone military tribunal under the Buhari administration in 1984, which tried politicians from the Shehu Shagari era. In 1985, he became Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College and was appointed to the Armed Forces Ruling Council. He later chaired the panel that drafted the White Paper for Babangida’s political transition program.
He retired as a Major General on September 3, 1990, and passed away on April 29, 2025, at the age of 84.
Present during PANDEF’s condolence visit were National Deputy Chairman Engr. Bassey Ekefre, National Secretary Engr. Chief Reynolds Dagogogo Jack, and other executive members of the Forum.
