It was while on this job that he sustained a massive stroke in 1969, the result of hypertension of which he had been unaware. He was left with significant physical and intellectual disability that ended his career. After spending a period of time recuperating with his son in Ibadan he was resettled in his own residence in 1971. He subsequently died at his home in March 1972 just short of the age 60. He was survived by his wife Chief Cecilia Gladys Ejaife who died in June 2002, his sons Augustine, an Engineer, John, a general surgeon in the US and Clement, now deceased, but formerly a member of the Lagos airport staff, and four grandchildren at the time of his death. He was buried in his home town Okparara waterside.  http://www.waado.org/educationmatters/UrhoboCollege/UrhoboCollege-Okpako.html Retrieved April 19, 2014.  https://web.archive.org/web/20130224035813/http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/5768-i-never-tie-wrappers-on-monday-or-tuesday-esiri Retrieved April 19, 2014.  https://web.archive.org/web/20130117054203/http://www.academicexcellencesociety.com/rural_development_and_socio_cultural_associations.html Retrieved April 19, 2014.  http://www.edo-nation.net/nowao1.htm Retrieved April 19, 2014.  http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/nvnews/142602/1/upu-position-on-urhobo-governor-in-2015-and-the-24.html Retrieved April 19, 2014.  http://ucosaonline.com/?page_id=235 Retrieved April 19, 2014.  https://web.archive.org/web/20140421051049/http://asemeyese.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1295&Itemid=797 April 11, 2014. G.G. Darah (August 10, 2004). Urhobo and the Mowoe Legacy. Guardian. Retrieved 2010-05-29. "Atamu Social Club of Nigeria".