Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Sunday, described late former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, as fearless and an epitome of integrity.
Osinbajo said this in his remarks at the Service of Songs and Night of Tributes in Abuja, in honour of the late Second Republic Vice President who died in a London Hospital on November 19, 2017, aged 85 years.
The Vice President noted that Ekwueme was the most remarkable person to serve the nation and believed in its indivisibility.
He said the late octogenarian possessed profound humility that came from the understanding of how much there was to learn and demonstrated it by his evident willingness to listen and learn always.
“As Vice President, he set an excellent example of loyalty, discipline, team spirit and fidelity to the nation.
“He was fearless and with the courage of his convictions, he led the G-34, the group of eminent Nigerians who confronted military dictatorship in its darkest and most fearsome days in Nigeria’s history.
“He contributed significantly to the return of democracy in 1999″, he said.
Osinbajo stated that in national and international discourse, as an elder in ECOWAS even on the most emotive subjects, the deceased spoke truthfully and ensured that his words built rather than destroyed.
He also said that late Ekwueme worked tirelessly to build and maintain the bridges established across ethnic and religious lines by many through the years.
“He never for once doubted the validity of one indivisible Nigeria,’’ the vice president said.
He recalled the late vice president’s incarceration for about 20 months after the Shagari administration was toppled but that he was cleared as having never abused his office.
Osinbajo said that Ekwueme’s principled and fearless leadership in confronting the military dictatorship of late Gen. Sani Abacha, especially when it chose to succeed itself, was unequalled.
According to him, the late Ekwueme had principled interventions in many national debates and in all, he epitomised impeccable integrity, courage and selflessness.
“His values, like himself, remain relevant in every age and time,” he said.
Osinbajo said that Ekwueme had remarked that he would like to be remembered as someone who came into public office to render service and rendered it selflessly.
Meanwhile, for Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki, Dr Ekwueme was a man of courage who always put Nigeria first.
In a post on his Facebook page, which highlighted his comments delivered at the Night of Tribute and Songs organized in honour of the late statesman, Saraki remembered his first encounters with Dr. Ekwueme during his teenage years.
The Senate President said: “Tonight, it was a great honour to speak at the Night of Tribute and Songs to celebrate the life and achievements of the late former Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme (GCON).
“This is because, my first encounters with Dr. Ekwueme were during my teenage years – when I used to run around the house – as he was very close to my late father, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki.
“Both men formed the now defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) during the Second Republic, and they used to go for what they called “Monday Meetings”, which were between the President, the Vice-President, the Chairman of the ruling party, and the leadership of the National Assembly.
“After these meetings, my father used to come back and tell me of how highly cerebral Dr. Ekwueme was in the administration and he admired his contributions.
“Growing up, I really admired Dr. Ekwueme’s ability and professional capacity. He was a professional architect and I remember that when I was studying, one of the things that I found most difficult was drawing.
“I have always admired people who study architecture because they carry around those ‘long sticks’ and other such equipment, line them up, and produce these magnificent designs. For us as medical doctors, that was one of the most difficult things to do.
“Most importantly, tonight, we heard and made a lot of speeches about Dr. Ekwueme, however, one thing that we must all remember and learn from was his courage and his ability to believe in something and drive for it. His fight in bringing back our democracy with the G-34 is one major contribution of the late Vice-President that we should never forget.
“As we remember Dr. Ekwueme, we must also remember his stance on ‘Nigeria First.’ He did not see himself as his language, religion, or tribe. In this regard, if there is one thing that we should take out of the life of Dr. Ekwueme is to first see ourselves as Nigerians if we want this nation to unite and move forward.
“This is the one tribute that we should all make to the legacy of Dr. Ekwueme, and if we continue in this direction, the future will be great for this country. Until we do this, we will continue to make many speeches and we will not have paid the highest tribute to this great man.
“Therefore, on behalf of the National Assembly, my family, and all those who had the opportunity to have encounters with Dr. Ekwueme, may his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.
“To the Ekwueme family, this should be seen as a time of celebration, and I pray and hope that amongst you are also great leaders of tomorrow.”