By Our Reporter
The Nigeria Senate on Tuesday held a valedictory session in honour of their ate colleague, Senator Rose Oko, who represented Cross-River North in the 9th Senate and died on March 23 in the United Kingdom.
The Senate Leader, Abdullahi Yahaya, moved a motion for the suspension of Order 17 of the Senate rules to allow family members of the deceased and dignitaries into the red chamber.
Apart from the senators and close family members of the deceased, other dignitaries who graced the occasion held inside the Senate chambers are, the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, a former Senate President, Pius Anyim, a former governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, and the former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi.
The Senate leader said the Senate could not hold the session earlier because of the COVID -19 Pandemic and the annual vacation of the National Assembly. Yahaya described her as a highly accomplished educationist, given her pedigree in the educational sector.“Rose Oko was very knowledgeable, she was a dependable ally to me in our committee responsibility,” he added.
Yahaya said the late Senator would be remembered for her brilliance, and prayed that God would grant her eternal rest.
The Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, lamented that the late Oko was the fourth senator to have died since the inauguration of the 9th Senate. He said Oko’s demise was an opportunity for them to reflect on their mortality.
Abaribe described her as a gentle speaker that makes great point in her presentations.He also described her as a mother that would be missed by all, noting that her life was a life of celebration.
The Deputy Chief Whip described the deceased as a simple and easy-going woman of peace.He called for the naming of the headquarters of the Nigerians in the Disapora Commission after her, because of her contributions as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations in the 8th Senate.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu said Oko lived a very significant and robust life and described her as the pride and a brave woman who came, saw, and conquered.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, expressed his condolence to Oko’s immediate family, adding that her death was a great loss to the country.He said the late senator was productive and had impacted positively in her state and Nigeria on a general level, hence her life should be celebrated.
Punch
