THERE GOES THE LAST OF THE GREAT GENERATION!
SIR: As Pa Anthony Eremosele Enahoro took his last breath from this side of the planet on December 15, 2010, a dark curtain is drawn on a glorious phase of Nigeria's history, for he was the last man standing of Nigeria's Greatest Generation yet, the generation that wrestled the Independence of Nigeria over from British colonialist rule.
Pa Anthony Enahoro who first moved the motion for Nigeria's Independence in 1953 at the young age of 30, lived his entire life in the service of our nation. Starting his political career at the age of 21 when he became the editor of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe's newspaper, the Southern Nigerian Defender, Ibadan, in 1944, he never looked back until he breathed his last at a ripe old age of 87 years.
In the course of his career, he functioned as journalist, politician, pro-democracy activist, and foremost nationalist at different occasions.
It will not be untrue to state that Enahoro might not have died a happy statesman, for till the time of his death, he struggled, fought, planned and strategised to see Nigeria a free and modern state from the hand of internal colonialists, both military and civilian. Whilst the struggle for the freedom and independence of the Nigerian state from the hands of the British might have taken Pa Enahoro and his colleagues about a decade, the struggle to free Nigeria from the vice grip of military and civilian internal conquistadors was a battle he fought for decades, and one he continued to fight up till the time of his death.
Pa Enahoro's death is instructive at this juncture of our national history. It signifies the need for a fresh and new generation of nationalists to emerge in every facet of Nigeria's socio-political hemisphere. It signifies the urgent need to return Nigeria to the original dreams of her founding fathers which was to build a nation where he no man is oppressed; it signifies the need to justify the labour and sacrifices of these men as they negotiated and languished to secure their nation's freedom for their posterity yet unborn.
As we mourn the sad departure of he light-skinned, Uromi-born nationalist, the tribute we owe him is simple: Pa Enahoro in his lifetime moved the first motion for Nigeria's independence, let his death move the motion for Nigeria's national rebirth. This is the only way to honour the life and efforts of the departed hero. No matter what may be said of the generation that fought and won Nigeria's independence which Pa Enahoro proudly belongs, they are Nigeria's Greatest Generation yet, for successive rulers have proved themselves unworthy of the giant strides of these great men who put the interest of their nation first before self interest, a virtue that is rarely found amongst rulers in Nigeria today.
As the nation mourns, we commiserate with all Nigerians on this great loss. We commiserate with the family of Pa, and the entire Uromi Kingdom of Edo State on the loss of their Adollo. We pray that his gentle and amiable soul rest in perfect peace in the bosom of the saviour.