By Dave Okpogadie, Asaba
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has expressed sadness over the death of the rector of Delta State School of Marine Technology, Burutu, Dr Sele Ebisine.
Ebisine, 61, died in the early hours of Tuesday in a hospital in Warri, after a brief illness.He was appointed rector of the school in January 2017, at a time the institution was in dire need of a capable hand with cognate experience to push for its accreditation.
The governor in a statement issued by his chief press secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika in Asaba, said Ebisine’s demise was a colossal loss to the academic community, the state and the nation.
He noted that it was under the deceased’s watch that the school got full accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), to run national diploma and higher national diploma programmes.
Okowa said “on behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I mourn with the family, the management, staff and students of the Delta State School of Marine Technology, Burutu, and the Ijaw nation and the academic community over the sad demise of Dr Sele Ebisine.
“The late Ebisine was a great administrator, researcher and academic, who impacted positively on the two institutions he headed in the state.
“His death, at this time, is a huge blow to the plans and vision of the management and staff of the school to make the institution a choice destination and citadel for the training of manpower in the maritime industry.
“As a former acting provost of College of Education, Warri, the deceased contributed immensely to the growth and development of the College and he will be sorely missed by the many lives he impacted on.
“Although Ebisine is gone, we are consoled by the fact that his was a life of great accomplishments and indelible footprints in the sands of time.”
The governor prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest and comfort all those who mourn him.
