Great Nigerians and others were at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Monday, to honour the Second Republic Vice President Alex Ekwueme.
A Parade of honour, led by the police, was held at the Presidential Wing of the airport for the deceased, who died in London on November 19, 2017
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said Ekwueme was committed to selfless service to the nation, West Africa region, Africa and the world.
Ekwueme, he noted, had timeless ideals of integrity, loyalty and kindness to all.
He was optimistic that the vision and sacrifice of the late Ekwueme for the nation will not be in vain.
Osinbajo said “As we receive the body of the first elected Vice President of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme (GCON), this morning, we are reminded of his selfless service to nation, to our region, to Africa and indeed the world.
“We are reminded of his commitment of the timeless ideals of integrity, of loyalty and kindness to all.
“We thank the almighty God for giving us 85 glorious years of Dr. Alex Ekwueme.
“When he was asked what his vision was for the county, he said, ‘I will want to see Nigeria be a nation not just a country.’
“Those words tell us how committed he was to the unity of this country and I pray that in death and as we remember him, that this will not only encourage us but also cement the relationship between all of the people and nationalities of this country, so that we become and remain one.
“We thank the almighty God for his family and for all of us who he left behind and we pray that his great wishes for this nation and all that he sacrificed for will not be in vain.” he said
Among those present at the event are the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of the Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
Others are Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Nkem Okeke, representative of Former President, Shehu Shagari, Hon. Aminu Shagari, Senator Andy Uba who represents Ekwueme’s constituency in the Senate.
Also present were members of the Federal Executive Council including the Ministers of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige.
Others Ministers are Education, Adamu Adamu, Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
Also present were representatives of Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, and Inspector General of Police, Corp Marshal Federal Road Safety Corps, Boboye Oyeyemi, representatives of Civil Defence, Customs as well as other paramilitary services.
The ceremony, which began at 12:19, included inspection of the parade by Vice President, Osinbajo, movement of the corpse in by pall bearers (Ebony) at 12:26, handing and taking over of corpse by body of Commissioners of Police at 20:30, guard of honour on the corpse 20:31 (rendition of the National Anthem), Vice President Osinbajo and family representative, Pastor Goodheart Ekwueme, joining the parade train and escorting the corpse to Enugu bound plane at 12:39.
Others dignitaries present included, Former Chief of General Staff Ebitu Ukiwe, former governor of Anambra Peter Obi, former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Ebele Okeke, FCT Commissioner of Police, Sadiq Bello, AIG Federal Operations, Tayo Lekan, Permanent secretaries serving retired, heads of government agencies.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
