It has been a harvest of deaths in the upper chamber of the Nigerian legislature as representative of Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Senator Barinda Mpigi takes an eternal bow amid mourning and jubilation
By Chinedu Oguh, Port Harcourt
Death has again visited the Nigerian Senate, and this time, it’s the soul of Senator Barinda Mpigi, who held the mandate of Rivers State South-East Senatorial District in the 10th Assembly. Tentacle learnt that the Senator had been battling undisclosed ailment before finally giving up the ghost in a London Hospital at 64.
Until his death, Senator Mpigi served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works. He was first elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 2011 and 2015 representing Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo Federal Constituency.
During his first time in office, he was appointed Chairman of a Special Committee investigating Crude Oil Theft in the Niger Delta and was heavily involved in the oversight of government infrastructure and related projects across the country.
His death marks the 4th serving senator to pass away since the inauguration of the 10th Senate in June, 2023, a development that has cast a somber mood over the National Assembly. First was Senator Ifeanyi Uba who died at 52.
Reports claimed that the Anambra Senator died at a London Hospital following a brief illness on Saturday morning July, 27, 2025. Ubah contested the 2014 Anambra governorship election under the Labour Party but lost to Willie Obiano of the All Progressive Grand Alliance. However, he later defected to the Young Progressive Party (YPP) and won the Anambra South Senatorial Election on February 24, 2019.
Uba was re-elected to the Senate on February 28, 2023 but defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC) on October 12, 2023. He had ambitions to contest the 2025 Anambra governorship election under the APC platform.
The second was Okey Ezea, the Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial district in Enugu State. The Lawmaker, who was elected on the platform of the Labour Party, was said to be the only South-East State on the platform of the party. He died in the United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 where was said to be receiving medical attentions.
Senator Godiya Akwashiki who represented Nasarawa North Senatorial District in the National Assembly passed away on Wednesday, December 31, 2025 at a hospital in India where he had been receiving treatment for a prolonged illness.
Akwashiki was first elected to the senate in 2019 and later secured a second term. His re-election made him the only senator from Nasarawa North to achieve two consecutive terms since the creation of the State. He was a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP)
Barry Barinada Mpigi was born on June 21, 1961 in Koroma. He had his early schooling at a public primary school, Koroma, Tai, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1974. He subsequently went to Government Commercial School in Ibaa, Rivers State, where he earned his West African School Certificate in 1979.
In 1984, he graduated from the then-Rivers State College of Science and Technology with a High National Diploma (HND) in Business Administration.
The late Senator, came to political limelight when he was elected Chairman Tai Local Government Area in 1999 under the administration of Sir (Dr.) Peter Odili regime. He later served as Commissioner for Youth Affairs under the administration of Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi
With Mpigi’s passing, the Senate has once again been confronted with the loss of one of its serving members, deepening concerns over the string of deaths recorded in the current Assembly.
His Kinsmen and Senator who also represented the Rivers South-East District in the Red Chamber, Lee Maeba described the death as a huge lost to Ogoni people, who he represented in the National Assembly as well as Nigeria at large. “It is very unfortunate that the cold hands of death have snatched Barry away at this time when politics is starting and when he is needed”. I sympathize with the family, with Ogoni people who have lost a representative. May God be with his family, his wife and the children, said Meaba.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara also expressed shock and sadness following the sudden death of Mpigi. The governor described Mpigi as a brother, a consummate politician and one of the leading lights in the state.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, the governor said that Mpigi died at a critical time when his services where still needed by the people of Rivers state.
The governor commiserated with his immediate family, the Rives State South-East senatorial District and the senate at large, asking them to take solace to the fact that the deceased lived a good life and positively impacted the people.
During the 9th Assembly, he was appointed Chairman of a Joint Senate Committee set up to investigate crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region, a critical assignment at a time when the country grappled with declining oil revenue and widespread pipeline vandalism.
Mpigi was also instrumental to the establishment of the Federal University of Environment and Technology in Korama/Saakpenwa in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Late Senator was a close political ally of Nyesom Wike, the former Rivers governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, political observers had identified him as one of several figures being discussed as possible successors in the 2027 governorship election. Interestingly, the late senator shared the same senatorial district with the current governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Like most politicians, Barry had enemies and attracted a lot of criticisms and alarming allegations to the extent that there was a widespread public celebration of his demise.
Meanwhile, the President of the South-South Youth Initiative (SSYI) Comrade Imeaba Oscar has condemned those jubilating over the death of the Senator.
Imeabe gave the condemnation in a press statement on the reactions of some people in Rivers State particularly from Ogoni ethnic nationality, who allegedly took to the streets dancing and singing on hearing the passing away of the deceased.
The youth leader called on the people of Rivers South East Senatorial District not to celebrate the death of the Senator but mourn him.
He said, “In as much as people are celebrating the death of the Senator Mpigi, I won’t like to join those people even though as an Ogoni son, we were not happy that the late Senator who was supposed to be a champion of Ogoni struggle disappointed us.
“Let me call on the people of Rivers South-East senatorial District not to celebrate his death but join us to mourn him. In as much as he was not 100 percent okay or 50 percent good to us, he is our brother.
“The death of senator Mpigi should be a wake up call not just politicians in Ogoni land, but the entire Rivers State Mpigi is one of the illustrious sons of Ogoni but unfortunately, his style of leadership wasn’t comfortable with some of us.
Something that was actually meant for the entire Ogoni, the University of Environment which was supposed to be one government compensation for oil exploration expected by the Federal government led by President Bola Tinubu, he diverted it to his own community and ensure that his immediate Junior brother, Dr. Monday Mpigi was appointed the Registrar of the University, when we’re aware that it was not attracted by him.
“At the same time, the resumption of oil which was something that the Ogoni were against and died for our Ogoni heroes, Ken Saro-Wiwa and other gave their lives for this particular oil issue, senator Mpigi was one of those persons responsible for its resumption in the National Assembly.
“We had expected that Senator Mpigi would have agitated that the death of Ken Saro-Wiwa should be compensated and that the purpose for which he (Saro-Wiwa) died should not be abused but rather what we saw was immediate plan or plot for oil resumption because of his governorship ambition in 2027,” Oscar said.
Barry Friday-nne in his own reaction questioned those celebrating somebody’s death. Mpigi, he said left a legacy as he attracted the Federal University of Environment and Technology to Ogoniland.
In the same vein, Saah Caleb said that those celebrating Senator Mpigi’s death are only displaying their level of timidity and unreasonableness. They failed to understand that death is an appointment according to the bible.
While Chima Wami in his own tribute said: “We lost a serving senator in Rivers State, a very sad loss and yet nothing to show that the state is mourning. No official condolence message from the state, his political allies, nothing to commemorate his death at all. It is very unfortunate,” Chima said.
