Just in: Anambra assembly lawmaker slumps, dies in S’Africa

The Majority Leader in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Nnamdi Okafor, has been reportedly dead.

He was said to have slumped and died in the early hours of Wednesday in a Hotel in Sandton City, Johannesburg, South Africa, and was confirmed dead hours later.

Okafor, popularly called Akajiugo Awka, represented the Awka South Constituency 1 in the state assembly before his death.

He was said to have gone for a legislative retreat in South Africa with other state lawmakers.

Some members of the House who confirmed the death described the news as heart-breaking.

One of them was quoted by an online news portal, Global Upfront Newspaper as saying, “The news of the death of one of the most active, vibrant, and resourceful lawmakers in the Anambra House of Assembly, Hon Nnamdi Okafor, the majority leader, came to everyone as a rude shock.

“Friends and colleagues are deeply saddened and grieved by this painful and untimely exit of one of them. This is unbearable. He was a patriotic, selfless, and hardworking lawmaker who gave his best for the service of Anambra State House of Assembly, his constituents, and indeed the entire people of Anambra State.”

Another lawmaker said, “We just lost a bridge-builder, a man of peace, and a gentleman par-excellent. He will be sorely missed by every one of us.”