By CrossRiverWatch Admin
After three years of demise of the former Senate President of Nigeria, Dr. Joseph Wayas, and his corpse deposited at London Hospital, the United Kingdom, his body has arrived in Abuja to begin an eternal journey.
According to videos and reports, the body landed in Abuja from Heathrow Airport, London, on British Airways flight BA 083 at about 4:40 AM on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
Among those who received his body were the Senators representing Cross River Northerner and Central senatorial districts, Sen. Jarigbe Agom and Sen. Eteng Williams, member representing Obanlinku/Bekwarra/Obudu Federal Constituency, Honorable Peter Akpanke; Convener of Who Is Who In Northern Cross River Dr. Dorncklaimz Enamhe, his children, amongst others who were also at the airport.
According to The Whistlers, the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, was conspicuously missing in the corpse reception and that was subsequently driven away in a Special Utility Vehicle to the National Hospital, Abuja.
A source who revealed the movement of the corpse told The Whistler that Governor Otu was “in his Asokoro residence either unaware of the movement of the remains of the late senate president or he was not properly briefed.”
The source said, “Some people in the state joined the family members to receive the corpse led by Senator Agom Jarigbe Agom.”
“The remains have been deposited at the National Hospital Abuja. Even there, we didn’t see anyone from the Governor’s side,” the source with adequate knowledge of the planning and movement of the corpse said.
The source further explained that “ordinarily, the National Assembly is supposed to be involved and should not even sit today,” adding that “It’s not clear if NASS is involved or aware as there was no official from there.”
The source explained that “Wayas died a poor man,” pointing out that, “The only house he owned was given to him by Ex-Senate president, Ayim Pius Anyim.”
He further said, “We don’t know yet when the burial will be held, no information regarding that yet,” he said.
But Senator Jarigbe confirmed the development in a chat with The Whistler saying, “The body is in. Confirmed!”
Late Wayas was Senate President in the Second Republic between 1979 and 1983 and died in December 2021.
Following the demise, then Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade, inaugurated a funeral committee immediately to plan for his burial.
The committee was chaired by a two-time Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi.
But arrangements for his burial failed as his remains remained in the UK until Wednesday as family sources complained there was no finance to fund the funeral.
The committee reportedly ran into troubles for lack of funds forcing a former executive secretary of the National Planning Commission, Ntufam Ugbo, to quit the committee.
