The former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, says he was diagnosed with stage-three cancer about 10 years ago and had multiple surgeries.

Akpata, however, said he was declared cancer-free in the past five years.

The former NBA President made the disclosure during his 51st birthday celebration in Benin, the Edo State capital, on Sunday, October 8, 2023.

The lawyer, who is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) in Edo State, stated that the celebration was not only to mark his birthday but also to thank God for his life over the years.

Akpata added that he joined the Labour Party to win the governorship ticket as well as win the 2024 gubernatorial election in Edo State.

READ ALSO: Ex-NBA President Akpata: Why I joined Edo guber race under LP

“You may have noticed me dancing around the hall. I am dancing with thanksgiving because I turned 51 years old today. It is a miracle that I am still standing,” the ex-NBA President said.

He further disclosed that he lost his mother at the age of 19 when he was writing his final examinations as a law student at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in Edo State.

Akpata stated that his mother died before the age of 49, noting that if not for God’s blessings and mercies upon his life, his stories would have been different.

He added: “The loss of a mother at that critical stage in one’s life can just turn things around but God was there and He has been there in all these 31 years till date.

“I became a lawyer, I started my legal career, I set up a law firm in conjunction with my elder brother, and ultimately I became the President of the NBA.

“So you understand why I am excited, why I am happy, why I am grateful to God and that is why I have gathered friends and family members here to celebrate with me.”

Speaking further on his aspiration, Akpata said the Labour Party had received him warmly into the party, adding that the party would win the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.

Dignitaries present at the event included the deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu; the Secretary to State Government, Osarodion Ogie; and the Edo State Commissioner for Information, Chris Nehikhare, among others.

The Star