Oronto Douglas, a top presidential aide and confidant of President Goodluck Jonathan, has died. Mr. Douglas died early this morning [Nigerian time] at the State House Clinic, a close family source told our correspondent.
The source said Mr. Douglas died from cancer-related complications.
Mr. Douglas came to national and international prominence as an environmental activist on behalf of the oil-producing communities of the Niger Delta. A lawyer by profession, the deceased was born in 1966.
Mr. Douglas had been sick for several years. Even so, associates of President Jonathan said he continued to work over the last few weeks for Mr. Jonathan’s reelection, with one source saying he was devastated when his principal lost the presidential polls.
Mr. Douglas is survived by a wife and children.
