Vice President Prof. Yemi OsinbajoVice President Yemi Osinbajo has acknowledged that the first elected Nigeria Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, who died recently, used his words as politician to build rather than destroy Nigeria as a nation.
Professor Osinbajo, who spoke at the Service of Song and Evening of Tribute for the late leader at the International Conference Centre in Abuja today, Monday, described the deceased as one of the most remarkable persons to have served the nation.
Vice President Osinbajo recalled that when late Dr. Ekwueme was asked what his vision was for Nigeria, he said “My vision for Nigeria is that Nigeria should become a nation rather than a country.
“In public discourse, nationally and regionally, as an elder in ECOWAS, even on the most emotive subjects, he spoke truthfully, but maintaining a thoughtful balance, ensuring that his words built rather than destroyed. He worked tirelessly to build and maintain the bridges established across ethnic and religious lines by so many through the years. He never once doubted the validity of one indivisible
Nigeria.”
Osinbaji said that despite being one of the most thoroughly educated persons anywhere in the world, with degrees in Architecture, Philosophy, Sociology and Law, he possessed the profound humility that comes from understanding how much more there was to learn.
“And he demonstrated it by his evident willingness to listen and to learn at all times. As Vice President, he set an excellent example of loyalty, discipline, team spirit and fidelity to the nation.
“He was fearless! Armed with the courage of his convictions, he led the G34, the group of eminent Nigerians who confronted military dictatorship in its darkest and most fearsome days in Nigerian history. Their roles significantly contributed to the return of democracy in 1999.
“Whether it was in spending 20 or more unjustified months in detention after the 1983 coup, or the eventual conclusion that he had not abused his office in anyway, or his principled and fearless leadership in confronting the military dictatorship when it chose to succeed itself, or his principled intervention in many national debates, Dr. Ekwueme epitomized impeccable integrity, courage, and selflessness.
“His values, like himself, remain relevant in every age and time. Almost a year to the date of his sad passing, he graciously responded to my invitation to join other former Nigerian heads of State and their deputies, to record for broadcast the hymn “O lord our help in ages past” which we have just seen.
“As a man of depth, he understood the symbolism of leaders of our nation, honouring God as we affirmed that we and our beloved nation owed everything to His grace alone. When he was teased about his voice as he delivered a line of the hymn in Igbo, because there was a lot of teasing and joking that afternoon at Aguda House, he said he was “just warming up.”
Osinbajo recalled that when late Dr. Ekwueme was asked in an interview some years ago how he would want to be remembered, he said: “my music teacher in secondary school said you have to blow your own trumpet because if you don’t, no one will blow it for you until it gets rusty. But I will like to be remembered as someone who came into public office to render service and rendered that service selflessly.”
The Vice President said that Alex Ifeyinchukwu Ekwueme who died as Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, the Ideh of Oko, never had to blow his trumpet and didn’t have to.
“His service to the country and people is the assurance that he would have many trumpeters, amongst the high and low.
“Our nation will miss his calm dignity and wise words even in the most turbulent circumstances.
“But we thank God for giving us for 85 years, such an exemplar of decency, kindness and integrity.”[myad]
