Passage of Maduekwe and Amadi: Nigeria lost believers in unity, peace, equality, say Buhari, Saraki, Ekweremadu

From the Presidency and the National Assembly came outpourings of eulogies yesterday over the death of former minister of foreign affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe and literary great, Captain Elechi Amadi.

President Muhammadu Buhari commiserated with the families governments and people of three prominent Nigerians who have died, of recent the latest being the immediate past Nigerian Ambassador to Canada and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, (BoT) Chief Ojo Madueke.

Others who passed away included retired Supreme Court judge, Justice Niki Tobi and literary icon, Captain Elechi Amadi.

The President, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu condoles with the governments and people of Abia, Delta and Rivers States on the passing away of their illustrious sons.

Buhari said he received the passing of Maduekwe, who also served as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada, noting that, in all his years of service to Nigeria as a diplomat, minister, politician and ambassador, Maduekwe was an ardent believer in the unity of Nigeria and gave all to that pursuit.
“As Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, the President affirms that Maduekwe’s relentless call to citizen diplomacy and for Nigerians to be treated with dignity across the globe will continue to inspire other patriotic people to promote a positive international image of the country.”

Buhari described Tobi him as a brave jurist who served Nigeria creditably and brought his many years of training, knowledge and wisdom to the Bench.
“The President also joins the literary and academic community in mourning Amadi whose writings and postulations as a novelist, poet and playwright introduced many generations of the world to the vibrant Nigerian culture.”

“In paying homage to the Man of Letters, visionary and venerated elder who dedicated his life to values of peace, equality, dignity and the reading culture in Nigeria, the President believes that the passing away of Amadi is as much a loss to Nigeria and Africa as it is to the world.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki described Elechi as a literary giant whose impactful life will continue to be of immense educational benefit to Nigerians and the world at large.

He added that Elechi contributed greatly to national development having served in the Nigerian Army.

Saraki 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.

In a similar vein, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu described the late politician as “a political colossus, public administrator per excellence, and uncommon patriot.”

Ekweremadu, whose aide revealed 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.

“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.