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The Senate, on Thursday at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, honoured its Second Republic President, the late Dr. Joseph Wayas at a valedictory session.
Wayas who died on November 30, 2021, in London at the age of 80, after a protracted illness, was born on May 21, 1941.
He served as President of the Senate from 1979 to 1983, during the administration of the late Alhaji Shehu Shagari as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The apex legislative Assembly held the valedictory session, three years after his demise,
The Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, while leading the valedictory session for the late Wayas, said that Wayas was born in Basang, Obudu, Cross-River State on May 21, 1941.
“He attended Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha. He went to the United Kingdom where he studied at the Higher Tottenham Technical College, London, the West Bronwich College of Commerce, Science and Technology, Birmingham and Aston University. Returning to Nigeria, he worked as a manager from 1960-1969 for several companies in Nigeria and the United Kingdom;
“He also joined the Federal Government in 1969-72. He was commissioner for Transport, South-Eastern State, now Akwa Ibom and Cross River states from 1972-74. With the transition to civil rule in 1979, Sen. Wayas was elected to the Senate on the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) platform and appointed Senate President. He represented the Ogoja Senatorial District alongside Sen. Joseph Ansa who represented Calabar Senatorial District”.
Former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson, lauded Wayas for promoting unity and advocating for the South-South region.
“He belonged to a generation that rendered selfless service to this country. He was a great family man and servant of the people, who served man and God in his lifetime. He presided over this chamber and worked with dignity to the best of his abilities.
He led the South-South Assembly, and we thank him for all that he did for the people of Nigeria and the South-South. There was no doubt that he stabilised the government of Shehu Shagari,” Dickson concluded
Also, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro said “Wayas was homely, amiable and was all smiles every time. He was a very committed Nigerian. He presided over the Senate when Nigeria was struggling to get her foothold on democracy and the procedures of democracy.
“Aside from the founding fathers of democracy in Nigeria, Wayas was the founding father of the new generation of democrats at that time. The second republic ushered in a fresh air of democracy in Nigeria; he anchored the fresh in Nigeria,” Moro said.
In his tribute, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said that Wayas brought glamour and candour to the Legislature.
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