Stakeholders in the Information and Communication Technology Industry are mourning the painful demise of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Omatek Plc, Mrs. Florence Seriki (MFR), at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LUTH) on Friday. She was in her 50s.

Omatek Plc is the first firm to locally assemble computer cases in Nigeria and the first indigenous IT company to be listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Seriki studied engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). She was a notable entrepreneur and industrialist who started Omatek Ventures Plc 20 years ago.

Recall that the Federal Government engaged Omatek Ventures Plc last year to tackle the nation’s power crisis through the provision of 50KVA three-phase off-grid solar solution towards enhancing a 24/7 power supply.

An impeccable source said Seriki had complained of stomach ache while in Singapore early this year and was said to have gone through surgery to correct the anomaly and returned to the country, thereafter, before she died at LUTH.

Another source said she had been critically ill for four months and was later diagonised of ulcer at the last minute.

Chairman, Nigerian Information and Communication Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), Emma Okonji, expressed deep shock and regret over the untimely death of the Amazon.

The Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), also said even among her alumni and association, there was no premonition of her death.

The Director of Public Affairs, Mr Iyiola Ayoola, explained that Seriki was an industrialist with a pedigree of integrity and hard work. “It is quite sad. The ICT industry will miss her greatly.”

•Sourced from Daily Sun.