By CHARLES IWUOHA

Chief Judge of Ebonyi State, Justice Elvis Ngene, former Minister of State for Health, Chief Fidelis Nwankwo on Tuesday paid their last tribute to the late veteran journalist, Senator Anyim Ude.

Others include; former Commissioners of Justice and Information, Professor Ben Igwenyi and Professor Adeline Idike and Professor Uduma Orji Uduma of the National Open University (NOUN), Abuja.

Ude’s service of songs held at St. Peters Presbyterian church, Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki who died on May 15, 2023, at the age of 82 years.

He was also one of the founding fathers of Ebonyi State and worked in several media houses during his public service, which he rose to the Chief Executive Officer in those media houses.

In 2007, Ude was elected a senator to represent Ebonyi South District andserved for four years.

In his tribute during the service, the state Chief Judge, Justice Elvis Ngene described Ude as a man who dedicated his service to people and things of God.

He noted that the late Ude will be greatly missed by the state and the country because of his wealth of experience and contributions to the development of the state and Nigeria.

In his own tribute, the former Minister of State for Health, Chief Fidelis Nwankwo recalled how the late Ude helped him and made the popular Eastern cement factory, Nigercem functional as Commissioner for Commerce and Industry while he (Nwankwo) was General Manager of the cement factory which has become moribund.

He noted that Ude was always leading former military administrator of the state, Walter Feghabor to the cement factory on how to make vibrant and it was functional that time.

On his part, a former Commissioner for Information and State Orientation in the state, Professor Adline Idike said the late Ude helped her a lot to succeed as the Commissioner owing to his wealth of experience in the media industry while she had no knowledge of the media as the Commissioner for Information then.

She noted that the state and Nigeria have lost a great man who will continue to be remembered and called on the living to emulate the selfless service of the late Senator.

In his sermon, the Moderator, East Central Synod of the President Church, Rev. Ikenga Ndukwe urged Christians to focus on the things of God like the late Ude rather than showing much concern on worldly things.

He described the late Senator as a man who impacted on human and made enormous contribution to the growth of the church.

The late Ude will be buried this Friday in his country home, Akaeze, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.