REPS WANT OJUKWU IMMORTALISED

The House of Representatives yesterday voted for the immortalisation of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who died last Saturday in a London hospital. He was 78. The motion calling for honours to be bestowed on the late Ezigbo Gburugburu was moved by Mrs Uche Ekwunife, (APGA Anambra), on behalf of 58 other members. Moving the motion, Ekwunife recalled the exploits of late Ojukwu in the field of soldiering and politics.

She was specific on the Ojukwu's roles in the events leading to the 30-month civil war and the aftermath.'Following the events of July 1966 -January 1970, he left Nigeria and there was no report of his ever saying or doing anything that threatened the corporate existence of Nigeria as one indivisible and indissoluble country.'

Ojukwu, she added, bided his time until he was granted amnesty by President Shehu Shagari in 1982, following which he returned to Nigeria and continued to contribute his quota to her political and economic advancement.

The tributes being showered on him since his demise shows the deep feelings people had about him when alive,

The House leadership also agreed to send a powerful delegation to commiserate with the family of the late Biafra leader.