By Our Reporter
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has given an assurance that the Senate will participate fully in the burial of Nigeria's Second Republic Senate President (1979–1983), Dr. Joseph Wayas.
Akpabio gave the assurance when a delegation of leaders from Cross River State, led by former Justice Minister, Chief Kanu Agabi, paid him a courtesy visit to formally invite the Senate to be part of the sage's burial.
Akpabio told his guests that the Senate would be "part and parcel of all the ceremonies," describing it as "a celebration of life."
"We will be very delighted, as the 10th Senate, to be part of it. We have planned to be part of it. Infact, we plan to hold a valedictory session for him on the 28th of November, 2024 and thereafter, we will follow you to Calabar for the Night of Tributes.
"We will want to take part fully in the ceremonies. Your coming is almost like an icing on the cake. It's like showing respect to the institution of the National Assembly. We don't take that for granted.
"Even if you did not come, we will still have come to you, but your coming has further added impetus because when you are invited to a function, your legs are strengthened.
"We are going to do everything possible to collaborate and work with you to own this event," Akpabio said.
He described Wayas, who was the first Senate President of Nigeria's South-South extraction, as "a trailblazer, man of style, candour and charismatic Senate President."
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Chief Kanu Agabi, appealed to the Federal Government to take over the burial of Wayas.
"Let the government bury Joseph Wayas. The state government has been struggling with it. Let the Federal Government step in. That is why we are here," Agabi said.
The former Attorney-General of the Federation said, because of the delay in burying Joseph Wayas who died on 30 November, 2021, it now looked to some people as if he had died several times.
Agabi said those who are familiar with history would know how long it took great men like Jamaican artist Marcus Garvey, former President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mobutu Sese Seko and even Joseph in the bible to be buried.
"It has taken some time with Wayas and it is beginning to look as if it is embarrassing. It is the way of great men," Agabi stated.
