Edet Uya, Defunct NECON Chairman Dies at 71

by crossriverwatch

Professor Edet Okon Uya , the Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) during the ill-fated transition programme of General Ibrahim Babangida is dead.

Uya succeeded Professor Humphrey Nwosu after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election won by late MKO. Abiola.

Uya who died at the age of 71 at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, on Thursday was until his death a professor of African and African-American-American History.

Uya until his death was a member Parliament of Eminent Persons of African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to monitor the rate of democratisation and development on the continent and reports to the Heads of states and identify Issues which need urgent attention.

He was one time Nigerian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Argentina and former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar.

A visit to his resident by Daily Independent at 149 Parliamentary Road, Calabar revealed that all was calm and quiet, though family and church members were in a sad mood.

Reacting to his death a staff of the University of Uyo and youngest of the Uya siblings, Mr. Edet Uya, confirmed the death of their brother saying, “I feel very bad. He has been my mentor but I thank God for everything. He gave his life to God before he passed on.

“We have to give him a befitting burial and he was an international figure. He died this afternoon (yesterday) even though he has been down for over two weeks. He spoke with the wife this morning before he gave up. He died in the teaching hospital and we wanted to fly him out but we wanted him to stabilize”.

Also reacting to his death, one of his close associates, Dr Edwin Madunagu said, “My reaction was not of a shock because like many of us he was not in excellent health for some time to now. I know philosophically such a thing could happen to any of us in that type of age bracket.

“But his passing on saddens me because the relationship I had with this man is the type of relationship I have with some front-line Nigerian statesmen. It was unique and unique in the sense that they are two sided. One side he is seen and expected by the public the other is private.

“In summary I will say intellectually and by instinct and naturally Uya was a progressive and a socialist.”

Culled from Daily Independent

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