The Nigeria Aquatics Federation has announced the death of its President, Dunkwu Chamberlain, who passed away in the early hours of Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the age of 54 after a brief illness.
In a statement signed by the federation’s Secretary General, Taiwo Oriss, the federation said it received the news “in total submission to the will of the Almighty God the Most merciful,” adding that it “regrets to announce the passing of Late Dr Dunkwu Chamberlain, President of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation.”
The federation also revealed that before his death, Chamberlain had sponsored the second edition of the Swim to Future event, which had been scheduled to take place on March 7, 2026. The body prayed that “the good God in heaven give his family, the National Assembly, Nigeria Aquatics Federation, the entire sports community of Nigeria and well-wishers the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, expressed deep shock over the development. Chamberlain served as his Deputy Chief of Staff (Legislative), and the Speaker described the loss as devastating.
In a statement issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, Tajudeen said he was “deeply saddened that Chamberlain died while actively serving his fatherland,” adding that the late official “was not just my Deputy Chief of Staff; he was a dependable and committed ally who served diligently until his last breath.”
Tajudeen recalled that Chamberlain had been “full of life just a few hours before his passing when he joined me and my colleagues at the breaking of fast on Friday evening,” noting that “this is indeed a moment of grief for me, my colleagues, his family, and the staff in my office as we mourn the death of this wonderful human being. This is one death too many.”
He added that Dr Chamberlain “lived a life of service to humanity and his country,” leaving behind “a legacy of selflessness, dedication, sacrifice, and a sense of responsibility.”
In a personal message shared on Instagram, the Speaker said the sudden loss left him “heartbroken and struggling to come to terms with this devastating loss.” He further noted that the circumstances surrounding the death made it even more painful.
“Only a few hours before his passing, he was full of life as he joined me and colleagues at the breaking of fast on Friday evening. That memory now makes this loss even more difficult to comprehend,” he said.
Tajudeen described the situation as “one death too many,” while praying that God grants the family the strength to bear the loss.
Dr Chamberlain, a respected figure in Nigerian sports administration and a good friend to the Trybal News family, hailed from the Uteh Okpu community in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State. He was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff (Legislative) to the Speaker on June 26, 2023, after previously serving as Special Adviser on Members’ Affairs to the Speaker of the 9th Assembly and Chief of Staff to the current Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
He leaves behind a legacy of service to sports and governance in Nigeria, along with many ambitions for the development of sports that remain unfulfilled and a huge gap that will be difficult to fill.
