The Etsako Central Local
Government Area of Edo State has been thrown into mourning as its Vice Chairman, Mr Charles Eshiesimua, slumped and died while waiting for a doctor last Friday.
The vice chairman died at about 3.55p.m., while waiting to see a doctor at the Iruua Specialist Hospital in Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State. He had gone for a medical check-up.
The Council Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Momoh, expressed sadness over the death which, he said, was shocking.
“The death of Charles is surprising to me because we both spoke before I left for Benin. I can’t believe that Charles is dead,’’ Momoh said last Saturday when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased.
He described the late vice chairman as a loyal official, who was committed to the development of the council area.
The Esan West Local Government Council boss, Mr Henry Irumudomon, died barely three months after he was sworn-in in April 22, 2013.
Meanwhile, a Cardiologist, Prof. Peter Okokhere, has expressed concern over the recent upsurge in the incidence of sudden natural deaths (SNDs) among Nigerians.
Okokhere made the remark   in Benin, Thursday at the 11th Prof. James Ogono Memorial Lecture, organised by the Women’s Health and Action and Research Centre (WHARC), a Benin-based non-governmental organisation.
He, however, named the main causes of unnatural sudden death to be road traffic accidents, homicide from violent crimes and natural causes.
Prof. Okokhere, who gave different medical definitions of SNDs, said the underlining key words were “unexpected deaths within a short period, with or without symptoms. “
According to him, the incident of SNDs “ is frightening and has put fear into the minds of many Nigerians. “For instance, in one higher institution in Edo, three Professors suffered SNDs last year alone.
The hushed question is: ‘’who is next’’?
The cardiologist, therefore, commended the management of WHARC for choosing the topic, “Tackling the menace of Sudden Death and its travails in Nigeria.’’
He, however, noted that statistics from recent studies had showed that the recent causes of SNDs were: “Ischaemic heart diseases’’ (IHD), particularly in Western Europe and North America.
“Available evidence, however, shows that the prevalence of IHD is relatively low in Nigeria, as in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. There is the worrying tendency for it to be the most important cause of SNDs in sub–Saharan Africa in the next three decades, if current trends continue,’’ he warned.
Describing the IHD as a condition where the supply of blood to the heart muscles was reduced and“very deadly,’’ he expressed worry that its incidence was on the increase in Nigeria and Africa countries.

Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Mr Efiok Cobham (left), in a handshake with the Managing Director, Lilleker Brothers Nigeria Ltd, Mr Travor Ralton (right), during the signing of N3.7 billion contract for Ikom water supply scheme in Calabar last Friday. With them is the Senior Manager, Lilleker Brothers, Mr Hewar Thorpe.