The body of former President of the Senate, Joseph Wayas, who died on November 30, 2021, would be buried on November 30, three years after his death.
This was disclosed at a news conference by Dr Dorn-Cklaimz Enamhe, Secretary, Central Planning Committee for the burial of late Wayas on Thursday in Calabar, Cross River State.
Mr Wayas, who died in a London hospital at the age of 80, was brought to Nigeria on July 10, 2024 after over two years in a United Kingdom morgue.
He was born in 1941 in Obanliku; served as the president of the Senate from 1979 to 1983 during the Second Republic.
Mr Enamhe, who appreciated Governor Bassey Otu, and others for repatriating the body of Mr Wayas, called on all those who admired him to join in honouring him.
The secretary of the committee said the committee had to work with various authorities in Nigeria and the Nigerian High Commission in the UK to ascertain the authenticity of the body.
“When we brought the body back, his wife and children assessed it critically and confirmed that it was their father, so, as I speak to you, the body is that of the former president of the senate.
“Unfortunately the body has been kept this long due to issues and disagreement among members of his family.
“We had to wait for these issues to be resolved and as of today, they have been resolved, that is why we are going ahead with the burial,” he said.
He also appreciated the media for constantly reminding the entire country that the body of the former president of the senate was yet to be buried.
Mr Nsa Gil, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Cross River, said the funeral would be held at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar and later in the deceased’s home town in Bassang, Obanliku local government area of the state.
He added that many dignitaries were billed to attend the burial, including Mr Goodwill Akpabio, the current President of the Senate, among others.
(NAN)
