THE Senate, on Thursday, opposed a proposal for state burial for the late Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, arguing that the former Biafran leader did not fall in the category of those who should be so honoured.
They, however, advised the South-East governors to come together and give him a befitting burial.
While paying glowing tribute to the former Biafran warlord, the Senate urged the Federal Government to immortalise him by naming a prominent establishment after him.
It also observed a minute silence in his honour and agreed to send a delegation to commiserate with his family, the people and government of Anambra State.
A motion moved by Senator Andy Uba and 50 others had noted that Ojukwu was a source of pride for those who had the opportunity to know him, as he stood tall against elements of injustice, segregation and oppression.
He disclosed that after Biafra,“his efforts helped to lay the foundation for national integration, equality and equity, championing Nigeria as one indivisible unit true to the words in our National Anthem.”
According to him, “Ojukwu seceded South-Eastern Nigeria from the rest of the country and proclaimed the area a sovereign state with the name Republic of Biafra, on January 9, 1970” before running away from Nigeria.
Uba informed that he was granted a full state pardon by the Shehu Shagari civilian administration and returned to the country in 1982, noting that “as an astute politician, he joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and was a member of the 1995 Constitutional Conference that midwived the fourth republic.”
Thereafter, members in turn eulogised him. Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who worked with him closely, described his death as the end of an era and the beginning of another one, adding that Ojukwu as a soldier was courageous and fearless.
According to him, he was a soldier who later became a democrat, fearless, a great man, patriotic, loved by his people. “Definitely, Lagos would miss him and Nigeria would equally miss him.”
Senator Abdul Ningi, in his contribution, said Ojukwu was brought up with silver spoon but decided on his own to associate with the underprivileged and through that he had committed suicide on his own.
He said when “he came back from Cote d’ Ivoire, he informed that he would still fight again, but for the unity of Nigeria. He died a nationalist and as an Igbo leader.”
Senator Smart Adeyemi described him as a courageous and intelligent person with strong strength of character, narrating that “when we were young in the village, anytime we heard about Ojukwu, we thought he was a spirit, because of his courage and intelligence. He was destined to sacrifice for the greatness of the country.”
The Senate president, Mr David Mark, after the debate, described him as a great Nigerian, noting that when he joined the Nigerian Army, “it was only great patriots that could join and they were very few in view of his educational attainment and very few of them are alive today.”
According to him, “when you have a nationalist with radical and revolutionary idea, then Nigerians should see his positive side rather than the other side. You cannot mention Ojukwu without mentioning Gowon, Adebayo and Hassan Katsina.
“People who worked with him learnt a lot from him and some of the disagreement was based on his principle. History would be kind to him,” he said.
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