Saraki Mourns Amadi, Maduekwe
Adetokunbo Fakeye
Nigeria Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Thursday expressed grief over the death of two notable Nigerians, Captain Elechi Amadi and Chief Ojo Maduekwe.
While Amadi, one of Africa’s finest novelist, poet and dramatist passed on at 82 years, Maduekwe, a former Minister who took charge of three federal ministries at different times and later served as Nigerian Ambassador to Canada and Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was 71.
Saraki described Elechi as a literary giant whose impactful life will continue to be of immense educational benefit to Nigerians and the world at large. He noted that Elechi contributed greatly to national development having served in the Nigerian Army.
He also extolled the virtues of Maduekwe describing him as a “social-political engineer” whose exploits in the nation’s political landscape will remain evergreen in the annals of the country. “Maduekwe was a brilliant, erudite and hardworking politician, a man of fine intellectual background who was not shy to take a position on serious national issues and will articulate the position to the admiration of both his supporters and opponents”, the Senate President stated.
“It is most regrettable that both Elechi and Maduekwe left us at a time their intelligence and wealth of experience is needed to advance education, deepen our democracy and political culture,” Saraki said.
While calling on the families of the departed men to be comforted by the exemplary lifestyles of the late ambassadors of the country, he called on the Federal Government to immortalize them. He also prayed God to grant their souls eternal rest.
