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Dimapur, Jan. 30 (EMN): Former cabinet minister, and retired bureaucrat, Z Obed passed away in Dimapur on Thursday. He was 89.
Condolences poured in even as the news of his passing spread. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio recalled Obed as a ‘close family friend whom he addressed lovingly as an uncle’.
Before joining politics, Obed was the chief secretary of Nagaland. In 1993, he was elected to the 8th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, and was allotted the portfolio of minister for Planning and Coordination, Urban Development and Economics and Statistics.
“As the then minister for Works and Housing in the same government, I had the privilege to be his fellow colleague in the cabinet. In 2003, he was again elected to the 10th Nagaland Legislative Assembly and during my first tenure as chief minister, he was appointed as cabinet minister for PHE. I was fortunate to have him as a minister, and benefited from his vast experiences and knowledge.
“In the many decades of our long association, I found him to be a thorough gentleman, a learned elder and a kind soul. He was a sincere and efficient bureaucrat and a visionary leader who always kept the welfare of the people above all else. He was a simple, warm and positive person, always open and accessible to all. Right from his bureaucratic years, he always gave me valuable advice and supported me in my various ventures, for which I will always be grateful to him and his gracious wife,” read the statement from the chief minister.
“I, on behalf of the government of Nagaland and on behalf of my family, extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved family members, relatives and friends of late Uncle Z Obed as we mourn his demise. May you find comfort and strength in the word of God as you come to terms with this loss,” it read.