Interdenominational Commendation Service For Late Dr Alex Ekwueme

Eulogies poured in at the commendation service organised in honour of the former vice president, late Dr Alex Ekwueme, at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu.

At the service, the Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Enugu, the Most Rev Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma, who preached the sermon, hit hard on Nigerian politicians, accusing them of being self-centred.

This, he said, negated the kind of politics the late  Ekwueme played while he was alive.

Bishop Chukwuma told the legion of politicians who were present at the service that they were playing politics of personal aggrandisement, adding, “Recycling yourselves in politics is a disgrace.”

The cleric chided the politicians who he said as soon as they ride on the mandate of the people to power they would turn their backs against them.

Chukwuma whose message at the sermon was “How prepared are you?” said the problem with politicians is that most of them do not have other careers aside playing politics.

After the harsh words of the archbishop, tributes for the late elder statesman started pouring in with Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, where former president Shehu Shagari, who the late Ekwueme was his vice comes from, taking the lead.

Tambuwal said: “We have lost a thorough bred leader, a patriot, a democrat and, indeed, one of Nigeria’s best. Our condolence goes to his immediate family, the people of Anambra State, the people of the South East, and, indeed, Nigeria. May his perfect soul rest in peace,” he prayed.

Similarly, former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, praised the virtues of Ekwueme and recalled that he served with him, between 1994 and 1995, on the constitutional conference that drafted the current constitution of Nigeria. He said his stance on restructuring was influenced by the late  Ekwueme.

He said although he had initially disagreed with Ekwueme, he later became his “convert and student.”

“Between 1994 and 1995, the late Ekueme and I were part of the constitutional conference that drafted the current constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“So, my association with him started from then. He was a fountain of wisdom and intellect.

“Although, occasionally, we disagreed, for instance, I was one of those who disagreed on the issue of restructuring on geo-political basis, but I came later on to be his convert and his student.

“It is, therefore, very sad that we have lost such a man at this point in time when Nigeria really needs his fountain of wisdom, knowledge and leadership.”