Eminent Nigerians from different spheres of life on Saturday bid farewell to late Chief Ojo Maduekwe, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The dignitaries at the commendation service at All Saints Presbyterian Church, Asaga-Ohafia, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, the Minister of Transport, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha.
Others were former National Chairman of the party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Prof Jerry Gana, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu and PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Sen. Walid Jubrin.
Also at the event were Senators, members of House of Representatives and a former Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu,
The others were a former Minister of State for Defence, retired Col. Austin Akobundu and immediate past Chairman of PDP in Abia, Sen. Emma Nwaka.
Ikpeazu in his speech, said that Maduekwe meant different things to many people, saying that “to the people of Ohafia, he was a warrior, a hero to Ndi-Abia and a worthy Ambassador to Nigeria.”
He said that his death should challenge Nigerian politicians to reconcile back to their creator “so that wonderful testimonies would be told on the day of their death.”
Amaechi told newsmen that the deceased was a patriot and rendered selfless service to Nigeria and humanity in general.
In his sermon, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Prof. Emele Uka, paid glowing tribute to the deceased.
Uka described late Maduekwe as a patriotic and detribalised Nigerian, who served Nigeria meritoriously and without blemish.
He said that the deceased lived and served the nation with transparency and accountability as his watchword.
The cleric said, “Throughout the period the late Maduekwe served Nigeria in various capacities, we did not hear that he looted the nation’s treasury.
“This is why he was never chased about by the different government’s anti-graft agencies all through his life to death.
He urged politicians to emulate late Maduekwe’s sterling qualities and to render selfless service to the nation and humanity.
Uka said that Nigerians were passing through “hard times and find it difficult to feed”, and urged the Federal Government to put the necessary policies in place to alleviate the sufferings and make life meaningful for the citizenry.
Late Maduekwe, a former National Secretary of PDP, Minister of Transport and Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, died on June 29 at the age of 71.
He was interred in his Ugwaba-Asaga country home in Ohafia Local Government.
Content Credit: PM News
