Benue Commissioner Dies After Predicting Buhari's Death

A commissioner in Benue State mocked General Buhari and called him 'quarter-to-go' close to his grave. But he slumped and died yesterday at the age of 46. What really happened?
Aondowase Chia was a commissioner in Benue State. His death in Nigeria causes a ripple within political circles. He had mocked the 72-year-old APC presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari, calling him ‘quarter-to-go’, insinuating Buhari was close to his grave.
FULL NAMES (alternate names): Honourable Aondowase ChiaBIRTH AND EARLY DAYS
On the 27th of October, 1968, he was born at Tse-Chia, Mbaatirkyaa Ward in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.
EDUCATION
John’s Primary School, Katsina-Ala (1972 – 77), FSLC.
Government Secondary School, Dekina (1977 – 1982), GCE O’Level.
School of Nursing, Mkar, (1983 – 1986), General Nursing Certificate.
University of Mkar, Mkar (2003), Advanced Diploma in Public Administration (ADPA).
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 2004.
In 2008, he bagged a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration (PGDPA) and B.Sc (Ed) in Health Education respectively
LOVE, FAMILY AND MARRIAGE
He is survived by a wife and eight children.
CAREER
Nursing Officer II, Juladaco Specialist Hospital, Katsina-Ala, 1986 – 1987.
Nursing Officer I, NKST Health Services, 1987 – 1990.
1993, Director of Administration, Buruku Clinic, Buruku.
Member, Peace and Security Committee, Buruku Local Government Area, 1996 – 2006.
Tutor, School of Nursing, Mkar, 1991.
Member, Save Our Souls (SOS) Yellow Fever Epidemic Monitoring Committee, Oju.
Member, State Immunization for Killer Diseases, Benue State, 1986 – 1987.
Chairman, Task Force on Environmental Sanitation, Buruku Local Government Area, 1988 – 1989.
Supervisor, National Programme on Immunization (NPI), 1998 – 2001.
Until his appointment a Commissioner, the late Chia was a member of the Project Advisory Committee, Buruku Women Against HIV.
In 2011, he was first appointed the Commissioner for Youths and Sports and later redeployed to head the Ministry of Rural Development and Cooperatives where he served until his death.
His professional affiliations included:
Member, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM).
Member, Member, Private Nurses Association (PNA).
Chairman, Central Parent Teacher Association 1996 – 2000.
Member, Dekina Old Boys’ Association (DOBA).
Member, Tombo Development Association.
Patron, Vigilante Group of Nigeria Zone B, Benue State from 1995 till his demise.
Patron, Member former Benue State House of Assembly Forum, 1994 till his demise.
POLITICS
In 1986, he joined politics and was elected Member, Benue State House of Assembly in 1992 under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He served on various committees and headed two of these including Chairman, House Committee on Health and Human Services, Chairman, Ad-Hoc Committee on Commerce and Industries. He was also Member, Ad-Hoc Committee on Local Government Crisis in Benue State. While in politics, he was a member of the SDP Caucus from 1990 to 1993, State Publicity Secretary, National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN) from 1996 to 1997, State Deputy Chairman, Benue North West (Zone B), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 1998 – 1999, member, Peoples Democratic Party, Benue State Caucus, 2000 – 2006 and Director, Directorate of Research and Planning, Suswam/Lawani Campaign Organization (SULACO) from 2010 to 2011.
From 2001 – 2003, he was a coordinator of the National Poverty Eradication Programme and later Director, Benue Burnt Bricks Limited in Otukpo from 2004 – 2006. In April 2010, he was appointed the Special Assistant to the Governor on Legislative Matters.
WORDS, QUOTES AND SAYINGS
INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT CHIA
He loved talking about health issues, playing volleyball and reading newspapers and magazines.
HONOURS, AWARDS AND LEGACY
DEATH
On Tuesday, 3rd of March, 2015, Chia presented his ministry’s 2015 budget the previous day before the Benue State House of Assembly and he did not manifest any sign of illness. Upon returning to his office, he slumped and he could not stand from his chair. He was rushed to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi but he gave up the ghost in the early hours of the next day, around 6:30 am. A stroke has been named as the likely cause of death.