Chief Frank Kokori


Foremost labour leader and pro-democracy activist, Chief Frank Kokori has passed on, on his 80th birthday.


Kokori, former General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and a staunch NADECO activist,  died of kidney-related ailment in the early Thursday at a private hospital in Warri, Delta State, says his  Personal Assistant, Atawada Oke


Oke told  journalists  that the Labour leader's his health relapsed on Monday when he was unable to interact with people around him and he was placed on life support.


Kokori emerged as a pivotal figure in the struggle for the validation of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election won by late Chief Moshood Abiola, as he was among the frontline  activists involved in mobilising the masses against the annulment.


He led NUPENG and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in organising nationwide strikes that crippled the oil industry, the country’s economic lifeblood,  putting significant pressure on the Military regime  to reverse the annulment to no avail


He participated in various rallies and demonstrations, calling for the enthronement of democracy and the recognition of Abiola’s victory.


He also played a crucial role in building alliances with other pro-democracy groups and individuals, fostering unity and a common front against the military regime.


As a result of his relentless activism, Kokori was arrested and detained by the military government, enduring imprisonment and torture.


Despite the hardships he faced, Kokori remained undeterred, continuing to advocate for democracy and the ideals he believed in.