Nigerians continued to eulogise the virtues of former Vice President Alex Ekwueme on Tuesday as a Christian Wake and Service of Songs was held in his honour.
The event was organised by the Diocese of Enugu, Anglican Communion, and in its tribute, the Ekwueme family said the challenge they would have would be replicating the legacies of the deceased.
In its tribute delivered by Mr. Obi Ekwueme, the family also described him as the “father of modern democracy.”
“Our father was a man of peace whose legacies will live in our lives for years to come. His night has come and we pray that many Alex Ekwuemes will rise in Nigeria.
“We are left with the challenge to live and replicate what he did,” he said.
A former Justice of the Appeal Court, Justice Eugene Ubaezuonu, who praised Ekwueme for his outstanding qualities said he became the vice president through the dint of his sterling qualities.
He said the members of the Ekwueme family should make the memory of the deceased last forever.
Said he: “Today, Alex as he was better known among his peers is no more on this planet. He has left his marks on the sands of time.
“To the family, take heart. You must allow the memory of your father to blush unseen.”
As far as one of Ekwueme’s political associates, Chief Sylvester Ugo, was concerned, Ekwueme played a major role in the growth of Nigeria.
Ugo, who was a strong member of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) said that the late Ekwueme played a major role in the creation of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The creation of the ministry, Ugo explained, was to fund research projects that would enhance the nation’s development.
He stressed that Ekwueme loved his country and did not go to politics to make money.
“Ekwueme came out of politics poorer than he went in. He showed that politics was not all about personal aggrandisement but service to the people.
“He loved this country so much that he was ready to make personal sacrifices.
“Now he is gone and we have to mourn him but we should not forget his accomplishments,” Ugo said.
The President of the Nigeria Institute of Architects, Mr Adibe Njoku, also paid tribute, describing the deceased as an accomplished architect who established the first indigenous architectural firm in Nigeria.
The president said that the former vice president was until his death, the chairman of the association’s Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Institute of Architects.
