Prince Adewole Adebayo, former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has paid glowing tribute to the late Senator Godiya Akwashiki, describing him as a patriot whose life embodied service, discipline and the deeper values of democratic leadership.
In a heartfelt statement, Adebayo said the death of the former lawmaker was not only a painful loss to the people of Nasarawa North, but also to Nigeria’s political community and the SDP family in particular.
According to him, Senator Akwashiki belonged to a rare generation of public servants who approached politics as responsibility rather than privilege, and governance as a moral obligation rather than a pathway to power.
“His passing compels us to speak, because to speak is to remember, and to remember is to honour a life that mattered,” Adebayo said.
Tracing Akwashiki’s public life, Adebayo noted that the late senator’s rise from modest beginnings to national prominence was shaped by discipline, learning and an enduring belief in the dignity of ordinary citizens.
Educated within Nigeria’s public institutions, Akwashiki’s early career at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) exposed him to the workings of the state and helped shape his understanding of governance as a system that must function for the common good.
That grounding, Adebayo said, later defined his approach to legislation.
His political ascent within Nasarawa State—from the House of Assembly to the National Assembly—was, according to Adebayo, the product of trust patiently earned, representation consistently delivered, and a leadership style anchored in listening before acting.
As Majority Leader and later Deputy Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Akwashiki demonstrated what Adebayo described as a rare balance of firmness and collegiality.
That same ethic followed him to the Senate, where he chose relevance over visibility.
“Whether chairing committees on Labour and Employment, Inter-Parliamentary Affairs or National Defence, he approached leadership as stewardship, fully aware that every policy choice carries human consequences,” Adebayo said.
Beyond committee assignments and legislative milestones, Adebayo said Akwashiki’s defining strength lay in the values he carried into public office.
He described the late senator as a firm believer in the dignity of labour, the necessity of dialogue and the moral responsibility of leaders to protect the vulnerable—principles that earned him recognition from labour unions, international parliamentary bodies and civic institutions.
“These honours were not decorative,” Adebayo noted. “They were acknowledgements of a man who understood that governance must improve lives, not merely manage power.”
Adebayo said Akwashiki’s affiliation with the Social Democratic Party gave his life and passing even deeper significance.
He described the SDP not merely as a political platform, but as a tradition rooted in social justice, human welfare and disciplined democracy—values, he said, that Akwashiki consciously chose to uphold.
“His alignment with the SDP was an expression of conviction,” Adebayo said. “It reflected a decision to place people over expediency and values over convenience.”
On a personal note, Adebayo said he regarded Akwashiki as a reminder of what Nigerian politics could still represent at its best.
“He was accessible without being unserious, firm without arrogance, and ambitious without losing sight of service,” he said.
According to Adebayo, even in moments of disagreement, Akwashiki remained respectful, believing that democracy thrives not on uniformity but on disciplined disagreement guided by national interest.
“He carried his people with him, not behind him,” he added.
Adebayo said Akwashiki’s passing should prompt deep reflection among those still in public life, urging leaders to consider whether they are building legacies or merely occupying offices.
He noted that the late senator left behind more than records of service—he left behind a standard of representation rooted in conscience, humanity and accountability.
“To his wife and children, no public honour can compensate for the loss of a husband and father,” Adebayo said, expressing hope that they would find comfort in the knowledge that his life touched countless people.
To the people of Nasarawa North, he added: “You did not merely elect a senator; you raised a statesman.”
And to members of the SDP, Adebayo said the party had lost a pillar, but gained a legacy that must now be protected through conduct worthy of Akwashiki’s example.
“May Senator Godiya Akwashiki rest in peace,” he concluded. “May his service continue to speak where words fail, and may Nigeria one day fully become the country his life and values envisioned.”
