Edo-born billionaire businessman, Captain Hosa Okunbo, has died after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Okunbo, a professional pilot and philanthropist, died last night (Saturday) 12 months after doctors said he had nine months to live. He was aged 63.
Late Okunbo, who moved to London a year ago for treatment, is survived by widow, Nosa, and children.
In October last year, there were rumours that he was in a coma and that his illness was due to the outcome of Edo State governorship election.
The business mogul dismissed the insinuations, noting that it was inhuman to link his illness to the result of the just-concluded Edo governorship election.
He said: “My attention has been drawn to a rash of social media posts concerning my health and the inhuman manner in which it is being orchestrated to look as if it was as a result of the outcome of the September 19 Edo State governorship election, in which I publicly supported Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
“It is evidently ungodly for people to gloat over the fact that I am not feeling well. I have never claimed to be a superhuman. I do not deny the fact that I am not well.
“I am outside the country for my medicals, which were delayed because of the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After a series of tests, my doctors confirmed that I have some health issues. It is, therefore, ill-advised and inhuman for those who are not comfortable with the position I took in the Edo election to joyfully circulate in the social media that I have health issues and that I have slid into a coma.
“Well, I leave them all to God.
“I am over 60 years. I thank God who gave me the gift of life, an opportunity to live a good life, the grace to build a legacy of achievements and, most importantly, a good name, which is better than silver and gold.
“I hold dearly to heart the words of the scriptures that there is a time to be born; and a time to die.”