Labour Minister, NLC express shock over death of NECA DG, Timothy Olawale

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have expressed shock over the death of the Director General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Dr. Timothy Olawale. 
The NECA DG died on Friday, October 1, in a hospital in Abuja.
Both the Minister and the NLC President in a separate condolence messages extol the high virtue of professionalism of the late NECA Director General. 
In a condolence message to the association, the Minister said,  “ we heard with shock the unexpected news of the death of the Director General of NECA, Dr. Timothy Olaware. We are sorry for your loss and convey our heartfelt sympathy to your Organisation, NECA, and its entire  affiliate Employers’ associations.”
Quoting Seneca, a Roman Philosopher, Ngige said, the Wise Man will live as long as he ought, not as long as he can”.
While extending deep  condolences to NECA and  to the family of  Olawale, Ngige comforted them with the soothing words of Thomas Moore, saying, ” earth hath no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal” 
“May you all find strength in each other as you mourn your loved one and may your many memories of him help to sustain you at this most difficult time,” he added.
The President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba in a statement on Saturday, said that the late NECA DG while in the saddle, demonstrated a high level of professionalism and camaraderie with other social partners especially labour.
Wabba said Dr Olawale was always very objective in dealing with matters of industrial relations as his work ethos was justice and equity.
The statement read: “It was with great shock that the Nigeria Labour Congress received the news of the sudden demise of the Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Dr Timothy Olawale, yesterday, 1st October 2021 in Abuja.
Dr Timothy Olawale was 2019 confirmed as the Director-General of NECA.
“His succession of Mr Segun Oshinowo was greeted with great warmth by the social partners as many saw his emergence as a continuation of a tradition of experience and excellence.
“While in the saddle, Dr. Olawale demonstrated a high level of professionalism and camaraderie with other social partners especially labour. He was always very objective in dealing with matters of industrial relations as his work ethos was justice and equity.
“Dr. Timothy Olawale was a great friend of the Nigeria Labour Congress. He was a dependable social partner to Nigerian workers. It is quite eerie to describe Dr. Olawale in the past tense.
“He will be greatly missed. His humility, kindness, and candour will be greatly missed by all who were privileged to have worked closely with him.
“On behalf of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the wife, children, relatives, colleagues, and friends that Dr. Timothy Olawale left behind.
“We also convey our condolences to the leadership and staff of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association for this irreparable loss.”
In a statement issued by NECA on Saturday, Olawale was said to have died in Abuja on Friday where he had gone for an official engagement.
A source said Olawale was on his seat when he could not get up and was rushed to a hospital where he was confirmed dead.
“It is with deepest sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Timothy Olawale -our director-general, which occurred on October 1, 2021 at a hospital in Abuja.
He is survived by a wife, children and other relatives. We pray the good Lord to grant his family and us all, the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss.”
The association is in contact with the family and more information will be communicated in due course” a statement from NECA said.
Olawale was confirmed as the substantive DG of NECA in January 2019, after six months in acting capacity.
He succeeded Segun Oshinowo, who retired in December, 2018 after serving the association for 19 years.