•South-east Govs, MASSOB hold prayers Dec 1 •Oshiomhole, Uba, Saraki, Clark, Chukwumerije, others react
As tributes continued to pour in torrents yesterday, for the late Biafra leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Odemegwu-Ojukwu, who died in a London hospital, over the weekend, after a protracted battle against stroke, his wife, Bianca has said she was grateful to God to have been able to see her husband through “his very bad times and life challenges.”
She spoke in London,when she received the Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, who led senior officials of the mission on a condolence visit to the family.
“Like other times, I will always say I have seen him through very bad times,'' the Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Bianca as saying. “When the doctors would tell us he wouldn't make it to morning, but he would always struggle and in the morning he would still be there. But this time, he didn't struggle; he went peacefully,” she said.
Recalling Ojukwu's last days, Bianca said he had just been discharged from the hospital and was doing very well.
“I have never seen him look so well. He was interactive, very alert and aware, and we will sing him songs, cracked jokes. Very surprisingly, his situation which we thought had improved remarkably, suddenly took a turn for the worse. I remember I was saying to him, it is getting very cold in this country and we must go home. Are we going to go home? He would nod very emphatically, but he never did make it home. Nobody asks God what his intentions are, but we would have preferred he stayed on. I cannot ask God why at this time,” she said.
South-east Govs, MASSOB Hold Prayers Dec 1
Governors of the South-east zone yesterday endorsed the directive by the Leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazurike, that Igbos at home and in Diaspora should observe a seven-day prayer in honour of Odumegwu-Ojukwu with effect from December 1.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after signing the condolence register at the Enugu residence of the departed Igbo leader, Chairman of the South-east Governors’ Forum and Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, said: “We are all in a mourning mood, Igbo land is mourning and Nigerians are mourning. Uwazurike declared for prayers, we need prayers and we are asking our people, especially Igbos all over the world should be part of the seven-day prayer.”
Uwazuruike: The Struggle Continues
The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday said it would not abandon its struggle for an independent Biafra despite the death of former Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
Leader of MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, while speaking at Freedom House at Okwe in Okigwe Local Government Area, said:
“We are going to continue the struggle until those things he lived, fought and died for are realised. There is no going back on the struggle. In fact, we are more emboldened now more than ever before. We are not going to stop.”
An Advocate for Equity, Says Oshiomhole
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said with the death of Ojukwu, Nigeria has lost a major personality and “an advocate for distributive equity” in the governance of the nation.
In a condolence letter to the Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, Oshiomhole said: “On behalf of the people and Government of Edo State, I wish to commiserate with Your Excellency and the good people of Anambra State over the death of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
Andy Uba: Great Patriot
The Senator representing Anambra South senatorial zone, Dr. Andy Uba, expressing shock over the demise of the Ikemba Nnewi who hailed from his zone.
Senator Uba, in a statement issued yesterday, described Ikemba’s death as a great loss to Nigeria.
“He was a great patriot and embodiment of unity among the Ibos and a rally point for all committed patriots,” he declared.
Uba said Nigeria has indeed by Ikemba’s death lost a legend. “We would continue to remember him for his valuable contribution to the country,” he said.
Clark, Chukwumerije Eulogise
Leader of the Ijaw nation, Chief Edwin Clark, and Senator Uche Chukwumerije, yesterday joined millions of Nigerians in eulogising the Biafran leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu.
In a statement, Clark said: “The death of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu came to me as a rude shock. This is another loss to the nation of a man who could be described as an activist and foremost nationalist, who hates oppression and injustice, the voice of the voiceless, a courageous and credible man whose ideologies transcends monumentally.”
In his tribute titled ‘Our Sun Will Never Set’, Chukwumerije said Ojukwu saw the path to unity with the clarity of a child’s eyes and the innocence of a saint.
“It is a tribute to the poignancy of Ojukwu’s prophetic voice that History has to resort to a re-surge of sectionalist challenges to the stunted growth and self-dehydration of the Federation to remind the nation of the self-contradictions that still clog her path to unity, creative growth and strength.
Saraki: Painful Loss
Former Governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, has described the death of Ojukwu as painful and a great loss to Nigeria.
In his condolence message to the late Chief Ojukwu family on Monday and made available to newsmen in Ilorin, said there was no doubt that the people of the country would surely miss him.
The statement described the war lord as a man of honour, who lived a life of integrity and honesty in service to his country.
Musdapher: Longest Surviving Illustrious Sons
Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, has commiserated with Nigeria and Nigerians on the passing away of Odimegwu-Ojukwu.
In two separate letters, each to the bereaved family and the government and people of Anambra state, Justice Musdapher observed said Ojukwu’s death is a major landmark in the country’s history, as he was one of Nigeria’s longest surviving illustrious sons.
A statement signed his Media Adviser, Mohammed Adamu, Musdapher said late Ojukwu would be greatly missed by Nigerians not only for his love of country and for his pride in the tradition, culture and heritage of his people.
According him, "when, even as a scion of the noblest aristocracy of his days and to whom joining the military was an aberration, the young Ojukwu selflessly put his life on the line by joining the Nigerian Army to serve his country. Although the collapse of military esprit de corps and the failure of geo-politics regrettably resulted in Ojukwu taking up arms against his fatherland, his rebellion was no less motivated by patriotism than the action of patriots who rose to quell it was. Thus the post-war declaration of ‘no victor no vanquished’ was equally an affirmation of ‘no hero, no villain’.”
Musdapher: Longest Surviving Illustrious Sons
Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, has commiserated with Nigeria and Nigerians on the passing away of the Ikemba of Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu.
In two separate letters, each to the bereaved family and the government and people of Anambra state, Justice Musdapher observed said Ojukwu’s death is a major landmark in the country’s history, as he was one of Nigeria’s longest surviving illustrious sons.
A statement signed his Media Adviser, Mohammed Adamu, Musdapher said late Ojukwu would be greatly missed by Nigerians not only for his love of country and for his pride in the tradition, culture and heritage of his people. According him, "when, even as a scion of the noblest aristocracy of his days and to whom joining the military was an aberration, the young Ojukwu selflessly put his life on the line by joining the Nigerian Army to serve his country. Although the collapse of military esprit de corps and the failure of geo-politics regrettably resulted in Ojukwu taking up arms against his fatherland, his rebellion was no less motivated by patriotism than the action of patriots who rose to quell it was. Thus the post-war declaration of ‘no victor no vanquished’ was equally an affirmation of ‘no hero, no villain’.”
Ikuforiji Bemoans Ojukwu
Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji yesterday commiserated with the family of the former Biafran warlord, during the official opening of a five-day budget retreat for members and staff of the state assembly at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Festac Lagos.
The retreat, which was also attended by lawmakers from other state Houses of Assembly across the federation, has the theme: “Good Governance through Legislative Performance and Effective Budget.”
Speaking on the issue of training, Ikuforiji said: “It is very unfortunate that though Nigeria’s democracy is growing, having been allowed to run freely for the past 12 years, yet there is acute scarcity of those skilled in legislative business to train and retrain legislators and their aides. And this poses a great danger to the development of the nation’s young democracy.”
NASSI Mourns Him
National President of National Association Small Scale Industries (NASSI), Chief Chuku Wachuku has said that Nigeria should mourn Ojukwu, whom he described as a true patriot.
He said the late Ikemba Nnewi had an unwavering commitment to issues that bordered on equal rights of all citizens, adding that though he was “a much misunderstood man in his later years Nigeria will celebrate him in future as a man of vision.”
...Ubani Too
Abia State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Don Ubani, in a statement said Ojukwu’s death has once again proved that death is no respecter of persons, adding that it was a very unfortunate and regrettable episode in the nation’s history.
‘Ojukwu Died That Ndigbo May Live’
The governorship candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the April elections Ochiagha Reagan Ufomba has recalled his last visit to Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu at Casa Bianca lodge, describing him as a patriot and quintessential leader who “died that Ibos may live.”
During the visit, Ufomba recalled that he rhetorically asked: "biakene nwokem, ichoro ibu govano ndi APGA ka ichoro ibu govano Nwafo IGBO? Translated, “Do you want to be governor of APGA or governor as a true Igbo son?”
“His death has brought an era to a close, and has indeed left a yawning gap very difficult to fill, not only in Iboland but in the African continent,” Ufomba said.
He disclosed that as a mark of respect a condolence register has been opened at APGA campaign Office 108 Aba Road, Umuahia, Abia State.
PAC, PPA Mourn Ikemba Nnewi
The Progressive Action Congress (PAC) on Monday condoled with the family of late Chukwuemeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu over the loss of their beloved son.
National Chairman of PAC, Chief Charles Nwodo, made the remark in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja .
Nwodo, who described Ojukwu’s death as a big loss to his family and the entire nation, said Ojukwu was a warrior who fought gallantly "even on the road to death."
“This was a man who was ahead of his generation, that saw tomorrow but was misconstrued by majority of Nigerians. We have lost a blunt speaker who stood by the truth knowing how bitter it was even though he was being criticised,” he said.
On his part, the National Chairman, Progressive Peoples’ Alliance (PPA), Chief Sam Nkire said Ojukwu’s death called for a sober reflection and not mourning, adding that "this is because Ojukwu died for good governance, equity and justice for all.”
Nkire pointed out that Ojukwu would have been a wealthier man if he had joined his wealthy father in business, but that he went into the military and public service to ensure good governance and justice for the down trodden.
The Chairman of PPA regretted the present situation where a few Nigerian leaders lived a life of affluence at the expense of the masses.
He urged Nigerian leaders to emulate the example of the late Ikemba, whom, he said, was born into affluence but chose to live and die for the poor.
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