Vice-President Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday, extolled the virtues of the late Dr Wantaregh Paul Unongo, an elder statesman and former Minister of Steel Development in the Second Republic.
Shettima stated that the late former Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) demonstrated that leadership can transcend both time and generations.
The Vice-President made these remarks during a funeral and Executive Council session in honour of the late Unongo, which held at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi.
Born on 26 September 1935, Dr Unongo passed away at the age of 87 on Tuesday, 29 November 2022.
While paying a glowing tribute to the late elder statesman, Shettima extended heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s family on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.
He noted that Unongo’s burial was a celebration of a life well-lived and a legacy firmly secured.
Shettima found solace in the fact that, despite his passing at the venerable age of 87, Unongo had been fortunate enough to witness the fruits of his labour during his lifetime.
“Many live long only to contradict the ideals of their younger years, but he was an exception. He remained a model of dignity, humility, and purpose.
“A father figure to generations of scholars, public servants, politicians, and community leaders.
“Pa Unongo demonstrated that leadership can transcend time, that service to one’s people can endure even after retirement from the public stage,” he said.
Shettima affirmed that 87 years was more than sufficient for Unongo, whom he described as an exceptional man “to write a manual on managing excellence.”
He recalled that, from his early days “as a brilliant psychologist revolutionising academia in Nigeria to his dedication to national service, Pa Unongo’s life testifies to the heights that vision, discipline, and determination can achieve”.
Reflecting on Unongo’s stewardship as Chairman of the NEF, Shettima noted that the late statesman carried a burden few could bear.
He emphasised that Unongo was not just a scholar or a politician, but ‘a statesman in the truest sense’, who placed the needs of his people and his nation above all else.
“As others aged into quiet retirement, Pa Unongo chose a more arduous path. He became a unifier, a voice for the collective, and a champion of regional harmony.
“As Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), succeeding the revered Alhaji Maitama Sule, he shouldered a weight few could carry.
“In a region often defined by its complexity and diversity, he offered wisdom, tact, and a vision of unity that transcended ethnic and religious divides.
“It was no small feat to speak for such a multifaceted region, yet he did so with grace and integrity.
“We do not gather here to mourn alone. This is a celebration of a life well-lived, a legacy well-secured”.
Shettima described the deceased as a model of dignity, humility, and purpose, adding that the late Dr Unongo “exemplified leadership rooted in service, and his legacy is one of unflinching integrity.
“We gather here not just to mourn the passing of a great man, but to celebrate the monumental life of Wantaregh Paul Unongo. He came, he saw, and he left indelible marks on our nation’s history”.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, recalled his first meeting and the beginning of his relationship with Dr Paul Unongo.
He stated that they shared a common vision and belief in the unity and development of the North and Nigeria as a whole.
“I am here on behalf of the Northern Elders Forum to pay our respect to our departed leader, Paul Unongo, a man who lived and died for the cause of justice.
“He insisted on justice. He succeeded in making people realise that there is nothing better than standing for the truth in the interest of the entire country”.
In his eulogy, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe, spoke about the late Unongo’s leadership qualities and legacies.
He noted that the deceased was not materialistic, was committed to growth and development, and was a ray of light with dreams for a better society.
He urged the family, the government, and the people of the state not to let Dr Unongo’s vision and dreams for a better society fade.
The high point of the event was the symbolic handover of Dr Unongo’s remains by his family to the Benue State Governor for burial. (NAN)
