By Vincent Ujumadu

IT was tributes galore by the people of Anambra State on Tuesday as Nigeria’s first Minister of Aviation, the late Chief Mbazulike Amechi,’s final journey began.

The day of tribute, organized by the state government at the magnificent International Conversation Center, Awka, attracted notable people in the state.

Amechi died at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi last year at the age of 93 years and will be buried in his home town, Ukpor, Nnewi South local government area on Thursday.

Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, in his tribute, described Amechi as a true son who lived in Anambra State throughout his life.

The governor said: ” Mbazulike Amechi is Nigeria’s foremost statesman and was among those who laid the foundation for Nigeria’s independence. He spent his entire life in the service of his country. 

” While Anambra mourns his demise, we are also celebrating a worthy son. He lived in Anambra State throughout his life and died in Anambra.

“Whenever I reflect on our founding fathers, I am inclined to say that our future lies in our past during which the founding fathers lived for service.

” One legacy Mbazulike Amechi has left for us is that we should go back to the past ways when people served selflessly.

” Mbazulike Amechi believed in what the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe stood for, which is the unity of Nigeria.”

Chairman of the occasion, Senator Ben Obi said Anambra people should be thankful to God for the caliber of people he gave the state, starting from the late Great Zik.

He said: “We have gathered to pay tribute to the last of the Zikist Movement. Mbazulike was great and his loyalty to Zik was second to none. The only time he disagreed with Zik was when he wanted Zik to join the defunct National Party of Nigeria NPN, but Zik chose the Nigeria People’s Party, NPP, but even at that, NPN and NPP formed a government of national unity.

” At the end of the Nigeria civil war, while his colleagues rushed outside Anambra State to settle, Mbazulike remained in his home town, Ukpor where he established industries and farms. He was a committed Igbo man with repository of knowledge and an advocate of rural development.

” Now that the oracle is no more, we are happy that Anambra has given him a great honour.” 

National vice president of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene recalled how Amechi encouraged him to form the Anambra State Association of Town Unions, ASATU, adding that he remained an active member of Ohaneze till death.

He said: “In Ohaneze, he chose to chair the committee on the issue of IPOB because he wanted to use his knowledge to counsel the agitators.

” We recall that he begged President Muhammadu Buhari to release the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, but unfortunately he could not achieve that before his demise.

“Ohaneze has lost a great member of the Imeobi. We still plead with the president to release Nnamdi Kanu to our governor, Chukwuma Soludo who has made the request.

Other speakers at the well -attended ceremony include former Governor Virgy Etiaba, former Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon Uchenna Okafor, presidential candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, for the February 25 general elections, Professor Peter Umeadi and a son of the late elderstatesm, Hon Ikenna Mbazulike Amechi.