He died in the early hours of Wednesday, 14th, March, 2018. He was 85 years and was the longest serving school principal in Niger State and Nigeria before he retired and returned home late last year.
He had arrived Nigeria in 1967 as a missionary and first worked as a Catholic Priest in Calabar before he relocated to Niger State where he became the principal of Government Secondary School, Minna. At 84, Fr. O’Connell was still teaching.
During a courtesy visit to the Governor of Niger State, Alh (Dr) Abubakar Sani Bello on Tuesday 28/02/2017, the Governor had given approval for Government Secondary School, Minna to be renamed Father O’ Cornell Secondary School.
May his soul rest in peace.
