Retirement is a New Beginning, Not a Death Sentence, Says Delta Commissioner for Information
ASABA/Nigeria: Delta State Commissioner for Information, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza, has affirmed that retirement should not be seen as an end, but rather a natural and necessary transition for every civil servant. He emphasised that retirement marks the beginning of a new chapter in life, and not a death sentence.
Dr Osuoza made this statement on Tuesday during a retirement ceremony held by the Ministry of Information to honour two retiring directors, Mr Nduka Akozor, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, and Mr Emmanuel Okubio, Director of Administration. The event, held at the ministry’s conference hall within the Professor Chike Edozien Secretariat in Asaba, saw an outpouring of goodwill from family, friends, and colleagues of the retirees.
Represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Theresa Oliko, Dr Osuoza drew from the biblical book of Ecclesiastes, noting that life moves in seasons, and retirement is but one of these inevitable transitions. He described retirement as a blessing, particularly when one steps down in good health, surrounded by loved ones to celebrate such a milestone.
Dr Osuoza further commended the retiring directors for their selfless contributions to the ministry and the state at large, acknowledging that their decades of service have been instrumental in driving progress within the Ministry of Information. He encouraged them to remain available to offer their expertise whenever needed, as their experience would be invaluable in the future.
The retirees, Mr Akozor and Mr Okubio, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Commissioner, their families, and the ministry’s staff for the honour bestowed upon them. Both men were visibly touched by the outpouring of affection and appreciation from those in attendance.
In their goodwill messages, various dignitaries, including Mr Lawson Efenudu, Secretary of the Bureau for State Pension, Mrs Christiana Emetulu, General Manager of DBS Asaba, and Mrs Stella Macauley, Director of New Media, spoke highly of the retirees. They described them as pillars of the ministry whose legacies would be cherished.
The ceremony culminated in the presentation of gifts to the retirees and a toast to their fulfilled careers, led by Mrs Gertrude Oyeakachi-Ute, marking the end of a distinguished era and the beginning of a well-deserved retirement.
