The kinsmen of the late Second Republic Senate President, Dr. Joseph Wayas, from Basang, Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State, have asked the federal government to bury his remains and immortalise him for serving Nigeria meritoriously during his lifetime.

Wayas, who was Nigeria’s Senate president from 1978 to 1983, died about 16 months ago in a London hospital, the United Kingdom.

Their call is coming a few days after the National Assembly described the continuous delay in the burial of Wayas as a national embarrassment.

The President of Basang community and leader of the 8th Executive Council of Basang Development Association (BDA), a socio-cultural organisation, Hon. Anyawho Sylvanus, in a statement made available to journalists in Calabar, appreciated the stance of the National Assembly that has demanded a state burial for the remains of Wayas.

The community commended Senator Gershom Bassey, Senator Sandy Onor, and Senator Jerigbe Agom for taking the delay in Wayas’s burial to the National Assembly.

According to him, “We received and watch in appreciation your motion as was presented at the Senate plenary on April 4, 2023, calling on the federal government to take over the burial arrangements of our son and leader, late Senator Joseph Wayas.

“The entire Basang people, both at home and in diaspora, do appreciate your call for federal government intervention.

The delayed internment of his remains have become an embarrassment to us, his community, kinsmen, local government area, the state as well as the entire country.

“We also appreciate your call to the government to immortalise Senator Wayas by naming the Senate Wing after him. As his immediate community, we request through you-our representatives in the National Assembly-that a national library be built in Wayas compound and the College of Education Campus in Bebi to be converted to Wayas University of Agriculture, and an educational foundation be set up and to be headed by his family and Basang community. These, to us, will be a more appreciable way of immortalising Senator Dr. Joseph Wayas.” (THISDAY)

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