ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The duo of the Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Thursday, mourned the passing away of two prominent Nigerians, Captain Elechi Amadi and Chief Ojo Maduekwe, on Wednesday.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki described Elechi as a literary giant, whose impactful life would continue to be of immense educational benefit to Nigerians and the world at large.
Saraki noted that Elechi contributed greatly to national development, having served in the Nigerian Army.
He also extolled the virtues of Maduekwe describing him as a “social-political engineer”, whose exploits in the nation’s political landscape will remain evergreen in the annals of the country.
“Maduekwe was a brilliant, erudite and hardworking politician, a man of fine intellectual background who was not shy to take a position on serious national issues and will articulate the position to the admiration of both his supporters and opponents.
“It is most regrettable that both Elechi and Maduekwe left us at a time their intelligence and wealth of experience is needed to advance education, deepen our democracy and political culture,” Saraki said.
Saraki called on the families of the departed men to be comforted by the exemplary lifestyles of the late ambassadors of the country.
He also called on the Federal Government to immortalise them, and also prayed God to grant their souls eternal rest.
While expressing shock and sadness over the death of Maduekwe, Ekweremadu pointed out that Nigeria has lost a political colossus and an uncommon patriot.
Speaking through a statement signed by his Special Adviser (media), Mr. Uche Anichukwu, Ekweremadu described the late politician as “a political colossus, public administrator per excellence, and uncommon patriot”.
Ekweremadu, who was one of the early callers at the residence of the deceased politician on Wednesday, when the incident happened, said it was still like a dream.
He said late Maduekwe still had so much to offer to the country.
“It is still too hard to believe. Chief Maduekwe was a repository of knowledge in pubic administration, having served the nation in many capacities; and he was indeed a political oracle, master strategist, and vast in political engineering; it is a sad loss for the PDP in particular at a time we are all counting on his wealth of experience, goodwill, and contacts in the rebuilding process of our great party,” he added.
Ekweremadu prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of dead and fortitude to Ojo’s immediate family and the nation in general to grapple with the realities of the loss.
Sundiata Post reports that Amadi, who was one of Africa’s finest novelist, poet and dramatist, passed on at 82 years, while Maduekwe, a former minister, who took charge of three federal ministries at different times before serving as the Nigerian Ambassador to Canada and Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), died at the age of 71.