Baring any last minute change, the corpse of late Senate President, Dr. Joseph Wayas, is expected to arrive Nigeria very soon for burial, THE BEAGLE NEWS can authouritatively reveal.
The arrangements for the final obsequies of the former elder statesman is being organised by Who is Who In Northern Cross River (WWNCR) in collaboration with some elders and leaders from the zone.
The group, made up of eminent personalities from the senatorial district within and in Diaspora, is committed to ensuring that one of their illustrious sons is given a befitting rites of passage.
And to actualise these arrangements, the group has set up a fact-finding committee headed by Hon. Justice Maurice Odey Eneji (rted) and that of UK sub-committee headed by Mr. Jonny Agim, SAN, who doubles as the Vice Chairman of the burial committee.
In a report obtained by THE BEAGLE NEWS, and signed by the chairman, Justice Eneji, the fact-finding committee has made some positive in-roads with their members in UK on how to fast track the burial arrangements.
According to the report, a top member of the group based in London, working with the daughter of the late statesman, Ms. Donna Wayas, was given a pass on Monday, February 26, 2024 “to see the corpse of the elder statesman, late Dr. Joseph Wayas at the Morgue in London,” a confirmation that the remains of former Senate President has not been buried in London as was speculated in some quarters.
The report, however, noted that the group had to pay about £7, 210 to Morgue Managers in UK before they were allowed to view Wayas corpse.
The above amount covers payment of Morgue Managers’ fee and cost of other logistics.
The report read in part: “To the glory of God Almighty, today, being February 26, 2024, Ms. Donna Wayas, took Mrs Echiko Julie Odey to the Morgue Managers in London, where Mrs. Echiko Julie Odey was allowed to see the corpse of our elder statesman, late Dr. Joseph Wayas. Based on the above welcome breakthrough, we need to repatriate the remains of our father home without further delay.
“Besides, based on the heart-warming development, I plead with all of us to please sheath our swords and cease all forms of attacks. Let us be all up tempo at achieving our prime goal of giving a very befitting state burial to our fallen hero.”
The report also commended the convener and mobiliser of the group, Chief Dorn Cklaimz Enamhe, for the behind the scene work, Fact-Finding Committee members for their tireless and relentless efforts towards achieving this breakthrough and then good people of Who is Who in Northern Cross River, the elders, leaders and mentors for their contributions.
Recall that Joseph Wayas was born in Basang, Obudu, Cross River State on May 21, 194. He attended the Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha and proceeded 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, Birmingham.
He returned to Nigeria and worked as a manager or controller of several companies in Nigeria and the United Kingdom between 1960 and 1969 and was a member of the Society of International Affairs at the Lincoln University, United States.
He joined the federal government service in 1969-1972 and later became a commissioner for transport, South-Eastern State, now Akwa Ibom and Cross River states between 1972 and 1974. In 1977, he became a member of the constituent Assembly.
Joseph Wayas was Nigeria’s Senate President during the Second Republic between 1979 and 1983 on the platform of National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He represented the northern cross River senatorial district alongside Senator Joseph Oqua Ansa who represented Calabar senatorial district.
Wayas had an excellent relationship with President Shehu Shagari, ensuring that bills were generally discussed and agreed before being introduced
In the build up to the 1983 elections, Wayas was the leader of the NPN party’s “Lagos Group” that advocated a change of governor in Cross River State, in opposition to the “Home Front” led by the then governor Clement Isong.
But the militarily coupe staged by General Muhammadu Buhari on New Year’s Eve of 1983, removed him from office alongside other members of the Shagari’s administration.
Following the coupe, he went into exile and later returned in 1987 and was detained between 1987 and 1988. Wayas was Deputy Chairman of the 1994/1995 National Constitutional Conference Commission that organised and midwifed the National Conference.
During the transition to the Fourth Republic, Wayas was a founding member of the the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) in 1998 and later joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2001 after much persuasion by the then Cross River Governor, Mr. Donald Duke.
Wayas was appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the South-South Peoples Assembly (SSPA). In 2009, he was nominated for one of the two highest honours in Nigeria, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), which was bestowed on him by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010.
In January 2010, Wayas advocated that Vice President Goodluck Jonathan be authorised to act as President pending the return of President Umaru Yar’Adua, who had been ill for some time.
Wayas was a strong believer in true federalism as the only solution to Nigeria’s democratic problem.
