Nigeria, April 9 -- Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has expressed sadness over the death of Paschal Dozie, the founder of the defunct Diamond Bank and pioneer chairperson of MTN Nigeria.

Mr Dozie passed away on 8 April at 85.

The late entrepreneur hailed from Egbu, a community in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria's South-east.

In a statement on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Mr Otti described the late Dozie as an "accomplished entrepreneur, investor, as well as a statesman."

The governor said the entrepreneur recorded "giant strides and made his mark in different fields of human endeavour."

He said his passing was a big loss to the nation.

"He impacted humanity positi...