Nigerian vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo and governors of the South-east, Monday, received the body of former vice president, the late Dr. Alex Ekwueme, who died in London last November.
While Osinbajo took delivery of the body at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the Southeast governors received the remains at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
Representing the federal government, Osinbajo, who led cabinet ministers and other senior officials to the reception ceremonies, described the late deputy to Second Republic President Shehu Shagari as a committed statesman who gave his best to the country.
He noted: “I am deeply honoured on behalf of the President, Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, and government and people of Nigeria to receive the body of the first elected Vice President of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme.
“As we receive his body this morning, we are reminded of his selfless service to the nation, to our region, to Africa and indeed the world.”
The vice president said Nigerians would be reminded of Ekwueme’s commitment to the timeless ideals of integrity, loyalty and kindness to all and thanked God for giving the country 85 years of his life.
According to the vice-president, “When he was asked what his visions are for the country, he said, ‘I would want to see Nigeria be a nation, not just a country’.
“Those words tell us how committed he was to the unity of this country and I pray that in death, and as we remember him, that this would not only encourage us but also cement the relationship between all of the people and nationalities of this country so that we could become and remain one.
“We thank the Almighty God for his family and all of us who he has left behind and we pray that his great wishes for this nation and all that he sacrificed for will not be in vein.”
The body of the late former vice-president was flown from Abuja in a Nigeria Air Force plane marked NAF 918. The plane landed in Enugu at 2:08 p.m.
At the brief airport reception were the Chairman of Southeast Governor’s Forum, Chief David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Dr. Willie Obiano (Anambra State), Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State), and Mr. Rochas Okorocha (Imo State).
Other dignitaries at the airport were Nwodo; Archbishop Chukwuma; the National Chairman of United Progressive Party, Chief Chekwas Okorie; Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr. Ogbonnia Nwaifuru, who led all the members of Ebonyi assembly; and Secretary to the State Government of Ebonyi State, Prof. Bernard Odeh, who led the state’s cabinet.
Bishop Chukwuma who prayed for the successful burial of Ekwueme, described the remarks credited to the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, that the federal government had spent N1 billion on the burial as unacceptable and asked the government to explain the whooping expenditure, stressing that Ekwueme was a man of integrity whose death and burial should not be politicised.
Chukwuma described Ekwueme as a great politician that would never be forgotten. “We are happy that the government is giving him a befitting burial, but one thing is that people should emulate the legacies he left behind,” he said.
An interdenominational church service will hold in his honour Tuesday at the Good Shepherd Anglican Church, while a commendation service is scheduled for Wednesday at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu. (Photo: Thisday)