The Senate on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to immortalise the late Anthony Enahoro by naming a national monument after him.
It also resolved to send a letter of condolence to the family, people and government of Edo State just as it observed a one minute silence in honour of the late elder statesman.
The resolution followed a motion by Odion Ugbesia (PDP, Edo- Central) in which he observed that the deceased was a committed leader who held tenaciously to his beliefs and principles.
“Pa Enahoro, then 30 years, fired with youthful zeal, patriotism and idealism, and as a member of the Federal House of Representatives, took the nation and the international community by storm with the motion which led to Nigeria’s independence in 1960,” he said.
In his remarks, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, said late Enahoro “had done well for this country and his life is worthy of emulation.”
Condolences
Friends and political associates of late Anthony Enahoro have opened a condolence website and have started making plans for a befitting memorial of the life, times and struggles of the departed nationalist.
The late Mr Enahoro passed on at 6am last Wednesday in his country home in Benin City. According to Olawale Okunniyi, PRONACO Spokesman, the names of the websites and telephone line dedicated to condolences as well as other information on the life, times, struggles and burial of the deceased are: www.anthonyenahoro.org and www.anthonyenahoro.blogspot.com, +23418055545915.
In a statement released yesterday by Mr Okunniyi, “the first website will be managed by Enahoro’s associates in Europe, while the second will be anchored by his caucus from the Nigerian end. The two will run concurrently. Materials gathered from both shall form ingredients of a major visual and oral documentary on the life, times and struggles of the nationalist. “We therefore wish to enjoin members of the general public and teeming supporters and followers of Mr Enahoro’s activism to register their remarks on the departed Icon on these two official domains as we have resolved to give our leader and mentor a befitting, first class burial and memorial.” He said.
Burial programme
The group however stated that it will in conjunction with the family formally announce a programme and reception team on Wednesday.
“The team is expected to support the immediate family and the central burial committee, which will be constituted in the course of the week as the actual burial is tentatively proposed for January 2011.” Also, the Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, Sunday Ola Makinde has called on the government and Nigerians as a whole to preserve and advance the ideals and values which late Mr Enahoro stood for.
Mr Makinde described the death of the octogenarian as a big loss to the country especially at a time we are still in search of credible elections and dividends of democracy.
In his words, “Pa Enahoro is one of the heroes of our country’s struggle from colonialism and his demise is no doubt a rude shock and a big loss especially at a time when our country is in dire need of wise counsel as we continue in our struggle for peace, stability and good governance.”
SOURCE: Next