The Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has commiserated with the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), over the demise of the former minister and leader of NEF, Chief Paul Unongo.
While commiserating with the Northern elders, Ohanaeze described Unongo as a social crusader and a political activist.
Ohanaeze through the national publicity secretary, Chief Alex Ogbonna, who signed the condolence, said Unongo in his heyday donated to Zikist Movement, an indication that he was a nationalist as well as a social crusader.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide received with sadness the news of the death of a foremost Nigerian patriot, astute administrator, bridge builder, courageous and sagacious politician, moral edifice, elder-statesman, former minister of Power and Steel in the Second Republic and former leader of the NEF, Chief Paul Iorpuu Unongo.
“Onongo was an embodiment of restructuring Nigeria for effective and efficient service delivery. On the other hand, while Unongo remained culturally and emotionally attached to his native Tiv ethnic, he never lost his Northern orientation and the need for sustainable relationship with the other parts of the country based on equity, justice and fairness.
“Onongo was an apostle of excellence, a social crusader and political activist. Unongo had recounted how as a small boy, he donated six shillings in support of the Zikist movement in 1946, based on his broad mind and convictions that Nigeria needed a cerebral pragmatic intellectual. He was to campaign for Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe to be elected a president of Nigeria in 1979.
“The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, recalls with intense nostalgia, his relationship with Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, Chief Paul Unongo, Chief Aper Aku, Sen. J S Tarka, Chief Solomon Lar, among others during the Second Republic under President Shehu Shagari. Obiozor lamented that a foremost Nigerian patriot is gone,” the condolence message reads.
