It was a solemn day of tears, tributes, and reverence at the Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral, Warri, on Wednesday, as dignitaries from across Nigeria gathered to bid a final farewell to legal titan and former Deputy Governor of Delta State, Professor Amos Utuama, SAN.
The emotional funeral service drew a star-studded crowd including Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, former Governors Chief James Ibori and Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas (Delta South), Senator Ede Dafinone (Delta Central), Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, and a host of senior legal minds, clergy, and government functionaries.
Governor Oborevwori, delivering a heartfelt eulogy, hailed the late Utuama as “an illustrious Deltan, a towering legal mind, and a man of deep humility whose legacy will stand the test of time.” He recalled Utuama’s years of distinguished service as Attorney General, Commissioner for Justice, and Deputy Governor, noting his commitment to justice, good governance, and intellectual excellence.
“Prof. Utuama was more than a scholar—he was a statesman. His contributions to Delta State and Nigeria’s legal landscape are indelible,” the governor said, adding that his legacy as an authority in Land Law at the University of Lagos shaped generations of legal practitioners.
Oborevwori urged the grieving family and all Deltans to celebrate, rather than mourn, the life of a man who exemplified integrity and purpose. Quoting Philippians 1:21, he said: “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
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The funeral Mass, officiated by Most Revd. Augustine Akubeze, Archbishop of Benin, alongside Bishop Anthony Ewherido and Bishop Hyacinth Egbebo, was filled with hymns, scripture, and reflection. It was a powerful tribute to a man whose life embodied faith, duty, and excellence.
In his moving homily, Bishop Michael Odogwu Elue of the Issele-Uku Catholic Diocese urged Christians to reflect on their own mortality, describing death as an inevitable journey all must take. “Service without humility is not true service,” the bishop declared, while praising Utuama’s deep faith, humility, and Christian values.
Bishop Elue described his personal encounter with the late Professor as unforgettable, calling him “a man of God who lived out his faith and purpose.”
Utuama’s burial in his hometown of Otu-Jeremi was witnessed by top political leaders, legal experts, and well-wishers who came to honor a man widely regarded as a pillar of wisdom, an intellectual giant, and a public servant of the highest order.
At 77, Professor Amos Utuama, SAN, leaves behind a legacy that continues to inspire. He is survived by his children and grandchildren, who now carry the torch of a name etched in the annals of Delta State history.
As Delta bids farewell to one of its finest, the memory of Professor Amos Utuama will forever echo in the corridors of justice, governance, and public service.
