JUST-IN: Cross River Commissioner Ewa Dies At 61

Cross River State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Abubakar Ewa is dead.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the 61-year-old passed away on Wednesday evening, January 8, 2025 at Arubah Specialist Hospital in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, after complaining of headache.

A source from the state’s Ministry of Tourism Development who also confirmed Ewa’s demise under anonymity, stressed that Ewa complained of severe headache shortly after a meeting with the staff of the ministry.

The deceased reportedly hurried his driver to drive him to the hospital for medical attention, but sadly gave up the ghost at the hospital.

As at the time of filing this report, members of the Cross River State Executive Council and other top aides in the Governor Bassey Otu’s administration were seen gathered in splinter groups at the hospital located at Nsefik Layout, off Ndidem Usang Iso Road to mourn the sudden demise of the commissioner who is reputed to be one of the closest to Governor Otu.

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A trader at the Arts and Crafts Village inside the Cultural Center in Calabar, Mr. Ernest Edem, who expressed shock at the sudden demise of Ewa, told LEADERSHIP that he saw the commissioner when he visited the Arts Village during which he informed traders of the plan by the Otu-led administration to demolish most of the shanties at the village and reconstruct the facility.

“I saw him when he visited the Arts and Craft Village at the Cultural Centre to inform us that the government had concluded plans to demolish the facility to build the state of the art-facility,” Ernest lamented.

Prior to his appointment as Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Ewa was one-time Secretary and later, Chairman of Boki local government area.

He was elevated as Special Adviser, Community Relations to the Governor, and subsequently, Secretary of the state’s Anti-Deforestation Task Force.

Ewa also served in the immediate-past administration of Prof Ben Ayade as one of the Director-Generals.

As of the time of filing this report, neither of the family of the deceased or the state government has issued official statement regarding his incident.