Tribute to a Consummate Professional and an amiable former Boss:
Engr Nelson Ovhori, is a consummate professional, an all around great human and a gentle man. A man of the people as well as a committed family man. He was a rare breed of man who exists on a level that all aspire to but few reach. I have worked with him and I can say that his human relation to everyone both junior and senior is unequal. There is the old saying we have all heard numerous times since childhood that states – if you don’t have anything nice to say, say nothing. This simple, yet seemingly impossible phrase for most to practice, speaks volumes to the character of Engr Nelson Ovhori. I have never, not once, heard him utter a single disparaging word about anyone or anything. He will be greatly missed by all of us his colleagues at Federal Ministry of Works. Rest in the bossom of our lord my Engineer. I will forever miss you.

Engr. Tayo Aluko

Oga Nelly was a good man, a complete gentleman, who would greet his juniors even before they would recognise and greet him. May God Almighty console, protect, and provide for his wife and kids, and extended family.

Sir, it is too sad that you are leaving Us at a time when we needed you most especially as young Engineers in Infrastructure Development Department in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Abuja. Sir, you will be for ever remembered for all your leadership qualities and for all your fatherly role you played in our lives. My condolences go out to your family members and for all of Us in ID MNDA and may your Soul continue to rest in God's Bosom till will meet to part no more.

Mrs. Pefe N. Ovhori & Family,

TRIBUTE TO ENGR. NELSON OVHORI (NELLY O.)

I met Engr. Nelson Ovhori,”Nelly-O” in mid – December 1984, over 30 years ago, when he resumed work a couple of days after I did at the then Building and Engineering Services Department, (BESD) Ministry of Defence, Bonny Camp Victoria Island, Lagos and we became good friends.

2. This friendship was further strengthened by some factors that broke down barriers and fostered a harmonious and mutually respectful relationship. First, our Residences then in Lagos were in the same proximity. I was staying with my siblings at Anthony Village while he stayed with a relative at Gbagada which inheritably meant that we went home together. In his characteristic jovial manner, he coined amusing but intelligent terms and joked that we exploited the Neighbour Concept.

3. Secondly, Nelly O went to the University of Benin during the same period as my immediate senior brother, Victor Emodi and was indeed a classmate to one of his best friends Tony Ifeacho. We therefore had several mutual friends.

4. Our early public service career also followed similar developmental patterns. After I was posted as the Engineer’s Representative for the Construction of Infrastructural Facilities for the Nigerian Air Force Base Kano in 1985, Nelly O, was also given a similar posting to the Nigerian Air Force, Kaduna. These early professional postings bestowed so much responsibilities on both of us and ultimately helped to shape our future careers as Engineers and Administrators. Our Management and Supervisory Team included Arc. Ogunsuluire, Arc. Umaru Aliyu, Engr. Tete Mbuk, Engr. Victor Erete and Engr. Emma Okoronkwo.

5. It was indeed during this assignment in Kaduna that he met and fell in love with his wife Pefe, then a Youth Corper. To the Glory of Almighty God they are blessed with four lovely children, three boys and Girl.

6. By 1987, the Military Top Brass resolved that the BESD, headed by civilian professionals, should no longer supervise and manage higher threshold projects for the Armed Forces and commenced systematic and deliberate efforts to redeploy all professionals in the Department to other MDAs to facilitate its winding down.

7. Consequently, I transferred my services to the Highways Department, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in November 1987. Nelly O was initially engaged by the National Universities Commission who were then developing its Abuja Headquarters but in 1988 he was also able to transfer his services to the same Highways Department, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.

8. Although we did not work under the same Division in the Federal Highways Department, our friendship remained cosy, sharing the same values, marital bliss and early parenthood amongst others. By the 1990s, we were back to the same neighbourhood living just a couple of meters from each other in Ikoyi – Lagos.

9. Over these several years, Nelly O remained a kind, reliable, dependent and trust-worthy friend. On the professional level, Nelly O was a committed, hard-working and diligent professional, a team player, a consummate Engineer and Administrator who always consulted and had absolute reverence to constituted authority as well good relationships with all his colleagues, staff and the public we served.

10. It was therefore with great joy that I received the cheering news of the promotion of Nelly O as a Director in the Federal Civil Service in 2014 and indeed his resumption as the Director, Infrastructure Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to which he had transferred his services in 2009. I was so proud of my dear friend Nelly O when during the Federal Executive Council Meeting of October 22, 2014 at the permission of His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, Nelly O so eloquently provided Technical clarifications to the issues and observations raised by Council members when the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs presented Memoranda on some projects in Delta State. That indeed was the ultimate performance for this Quintessential Engineer cum Public Servant. Our mutual friend Engr. Nnabuenyi Emeka Arah made concerted efforts for us to jointly celebrate and wash the elevation of Nelly O as a Director, a date we never kept before the cold and cruel hands of death snatched our beloved Nelly O on that fateful Saturday February 21st, 2015. 

11. I am yet to come to terms that Nelly O is gone forever and I would never hear his heart-warming greetings whenever we meet. Nelly O was a good man and to his loving darling wife Pefe, children and family ALL I can say now is that only the Almighty God can sufficiently console and comfort you. May Almighty God continue to Bless, Guide, Sustain, Protect and Empower you all in Jesus Mighty Name Amen.

12 May his great and gentle soul rest in perfect peace, Amen. 



Engr. Nebolisa O. Emodi, FNSE
Permanent Secretary
State House, Presidential Villa
ABUJA

March 9, 2015

Nelly, your passing on is still a dream. You never gave us a chance to help. I am however consoled you are resting in the bosom of our Lord. You were so kind to many people and assisted whenever you could. You taught us humility and was always there for anyone in need. I will miss you and sincerely pray that God will console your entire family, particularly your wife and lovely children. May your soul rest in peace.

The most difficult to comprehend is that you are no more with us. You were an angel to all that you came across, I begin to ask God why extremely good people go too soon. We love and will forever miss you but I believe God almighty loves you and needs you most with his angels.

Engr. Nelson O. Ovhori, this is indeed very painful that you have to leave so soon, all your struggles, kindness and gentle smiles, you never waited to see and enjoy the purpose of being nice and kind. This is a great loss to not only the family nor MNDA but to the country at large. All the wealth of knowledge, ideas which always makes the impossible looks possible just disappeared with you in just a twinkle of an eye, oh death, this is unfair. You will forever be remembered, my mentor, my boss. We are consoled with the fact that, you are on to a better place. May God almighty give your beloved family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss and grant you eternal rest, amen. Rest in peace, boss.
Engr. Henry.

As i write this tribute, Pain in my heart/my head is hurting!.          
I hadn't known you all my life but i didn't have to be a genius to know you are a goodman.
Can't still believe i will not hear u call me OFONNE again.
You were such a candid Boss,nice (Personality), Never saying "NO",alway smiling. Oh! Such an amazing heart is gone!
Your good deeds will always linger in our thoughts forever .
I miss you!!! I miss you already.still difficute to know you are gone forever.i will never forget you.
I pray that God in heaven gives your family n we your staffs and friends the fortitude to bear this great loss.
Sleep well my Boss. #Godknowsbest #lordbless.o

Uncle you brought light to my world.I can't stop crying daily. I will miss your warm smile. Rest on my dearest uncle.

Words are hard to describe your demissal at this time when your children are becoming big lady and big boys. Uncle, we will miss you greatly

Osagie pinged me. He said, Ivie, how far, call me it's urgent. It felt awkward, and I didn't like the urgency... I responded, tell me on bb, what is it.
He said, Ivie, it's uncle Nelson. And I knew I didn't want to hear it.
Uncle Nelson... It can't be. It is not possible! How, why, where? What happened?
It is so sad! My earliest memories of Uncle Nelson was being his flower girl at his wedding forever ago.
And his baritone voice whenever he comes to see daddy, "B.O. Boy!" and daddy responds Boy, or vice versa.
Or how he used to carry and throw me in the air, calling me "ivay, ivay" till I got too heavy to be carried.
Uncle Nelson has always been a part of our lives. Even when daddy died, uncle Nelson was always there. He always called to check on all of us regularly, despite his busy schedule.
Ah! Uncle Nelson, just like that? Uncle Nelson made the trip to my village with Aunty Pat, my far away village at the end of the world to attend my wedding.
Uncle Nelson was always there.
Early this year, Osagie called, Uncle Nelson came around during the New Year with his family. My heart sank, I would have loved to be around. I thought to myself, Uncle Nelson has never forgotten us, may God continue to bless him.
It's so sad! It shouldn't be uncle Nelson, it can't be Uncle Nelson!

So I asked Osagie, what happened to uncle Nelson, he said, he heard he was involved in an accident. He doesn't know if he made it.
I said, it is uncle Nelson, he cannot die. Since it is not verified, I chose not to believe it.
Till I saw the newspaper article... so it is true...

Uncle Nelson is... was a good man. Definitely heaven couldn't wait. Your legacy lives on, and if I learnt nothing from him, I learnt one thing... Love your neighbour. Uncle Nelson had nothing else but love for everyone around him. And he will receive a heroic welcome into heaven.
God bless you uncle.
God bless you, and sleep on.

Can i ever come out of this shock?

Tough to believe this tribute is to Nelson Ovhori - my brother in law. Just doesn't seem right. Goes to show how unpredictable life is.
I still have a vague memory of the first time I met you. We got along right away. All my friends liked to be around you. It felt like you were part of the gang.
You were one of those people in life who are at ease with themselves. It was quite easy to see through you. You kept your promises. You were a man of your words. Your sense of humility was amazingly real. You lived your life to make everyone else's comfortable - as much as was within your power. Always had a positive outlook on anything and anything whatsoever - including Nigeria.
You had a kind word all the time and was always very hospitable. You carried many people along and you influenced many lives.
You loved and cared for your family so deeply. Even your extended family members and friends felt your touch of care and affection. You had a pet name for most people. You were always patient.
I have learnt a lot from you. I am grateful to God for the chance to have known you. 
Honestly your passing hurts. It hurts very much. Very very much. But I know you would want us to be strong and soldier on in life. Facing uncertainties and challenges with boldness and confidence. I also know that you have done your bit on earth and that you are in a good place.

Adios my brother. Descansa en paz ( RIP)

Although i will continue to struggle with accepting the truth that you are no more, i will never forget your life and how you chose to live it. When you were with us, you exemplified selflessness and extraordinary kindness. Often times, i would wonder what it was that inspired you to be so good and kind. I watched you treat my sister with so much love which moved me to be a better husband. I saw your devotion to the well being of your children and family at large and i found another reason to to live outside of my self. Now that you are no more with us, i will never forget how your life impacted mine to live the way you did so that i will never really die. You will forever be remembered. For good.

Your sweet baritone voice continues to echo in my spirit. Your gentle presence, I vividly remember. I lived with you for a brief moment and I traveled with you by road. I saw a man who loved his wife dearly-in deeds. I was so inspired by how you honored your wife (mommy), that I had to text you in appreciation of these silent teachings. I watched you talk with your children after service in that sweet-sweet voice. I dined with you and your family on Christmas day and listened to your fine sense of humor over what is alcoholic wine or not. I told you to your face, how much I love your daughter and would be honored if you approved me to marry her. I was overjoyed by how you opened the very bottles of wine I brought to you on that day and had us drink it right away, in approval. You were just a super man. I saw you graciously play the role of a son to your mother, son to your parent-in-laws, husband to your wife and father to your children. The mystery of how you unexpectedly and unimaginably departed, I would never solve. However, I thank you and The Good Lord for the privilege to have known you sir. February 14th would be the last time I saw and spoke to you. To all of us you left behind, we will remember and uphold your indelible legacies to the fullest. Till we meet again, Rest-In-Peace, daddy Nelson O. Ovhori.