The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu
Dogara, has expressed deep sadness at the death of foremost
educationalist and politician, Shettima Ali Monguno (CFR), who passed
away on Friday at the age of 90.
In a press statement
signed by his special adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Turaki
Hassan, in Lagos, the speaker said the passing on of the late elder
statesman is a big loss, not only to the government and people of Borno
State, but to the entire nation as a whole.
Dogara
said Monguno’s death is even more painful considering that he was a man
of great experience in many critical sectors of the country, having
served as the head of many agencies of government.
“Monguno
was a man of honour and an achiever. In all his national assignments, he
was forthright, dedicated and showed great patriotism in the discharge
of his duties.
He was a unifying force for the
nation and his contribution to the growth and development of democracy
in Nigeria cannot be forgotten in a hurry,” Dogara stated.
Dogara
noted that the elderstatesman died at a time the country and its
leadership is in dire need of his wealth of experience and wisdom to
over come the multifaceted challenges facing the nation.
While
expressing his sympathies to the family of the deceased and the
government and people of Borno State, he prayed that the Almighty God
grant him eternal rest and comfort all those he left behind.
The
late Munguno was a member of parliament in 1959, education secretary
and councilor for education, works and social welfare Borno, local
Government 1959-65 before moving to Federal minister for Air Force and
internal affair 1965-66, federal commissioner for trade and industries
1967-71, Minister of mines and power, petroleum and energy in 1972-75.
He
was also President, OPEC, 1972/1973. he was Presidential Candidate
during the Option A4 Elections in the early 1990s in Nigeria and leader
of Nigerian delegation to UNCAD II New Delhi in 1968 and member Nigerian
delegation to United Nations for over 10 years. He was also
Pro-chancellor of the University of Nigeria from 1980 to 1984.
0 comments: