Nigeria is set to pay final respects to one of its most prominent elder statesmen, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, with a series of elaborate funeral rites scheduled to span Abuja, Bayelsa, and Delta States, culminating in his burial on May 13, 2025, in his hometown, Kiagbodo, Delta State.
The comprehensive funeral arrangements were unveiled by his eldest son, Mr. Penaowei Clark, during a press conference held at the family compound in Kiagbodo. Flanked by siblings, including Delta State Commissioner for Riverine Infrastructure Development, Chief Ebikeme Clark, Mr. Clark said the family arrived at the dates after wide consultations with government authorities, political allies, and cultural institutions.
The ceremonies will begin in Abuja on Wednesday, May 7, with a public lecture at the NAF Conference Centre. Other activities scheduled in the capital include a Senate valedictory session on May 8 and a Day of Tributes on May 9.
On May 10, attention will shift to Bayelsa State for a traditional wrestling contest in Yenagoa and a Service of Songs at St. James’ Anglican Church, Asokoro, Abuja. A cultural display including a boat regatta, masquerade parade, and candlelight memorial will hold simultaneously across Abuja, Yenagoa, and Kiagbodo on May 11.
A national commendation service is set for May 12 at the National Christian Centre in Abuja, alongside a valedictory court session at the High Court in Warri. The same day, his remains will travel from Abuja to Yenagoa for a commendation at Ijaw House, then to Warri for a lying-in-state, before heading to Kiagbodo for an all-night vigil.
The final funeral ceremony will take place on Tuesday, May 13, at Edwin Clark University, Kiagbodo, beginning with a lying-in-state and commendation service, followed by a funeral service and interment in the family compound. A thanksgiving service will follow on Sunday, May 18.
Chief Edwin Clark, a nationalist, lawyer, former Federal Commissioner for Information, and founder of Edwin Clark University, passed away on February 17, 2025, at the age of 97. A former senator in Nigeria’s Second Republic, he was a strong advocate for equity in the Niger Delta and remained a vocal force in national discourse until his final days.
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