Delay in Waya’s burial embarrassing to NASS-CRS lawmakers

Wevole Ezin

The Federal Government has been called upon to speedily take over the burial obsequies of former Senate President, Senator Joseph Wayas, inorder to a avoid further embarrassment it delay had caused the National Assembly.

This followed a motion of urgent public interest jointly sponsored by the Senators representing the three senatorial districts of Cross River State in the National Assembly including Gershom Bassey; South, Sandy Onor; Central, and Jarigbe Agom; North, respectively.

Senator Joseph Wayas, Senate President in the second republic, reportedly died in November, 2021.

According to the lawmakers, it is worrisome that sixteen months after his demise, the former President of the senate was yet to be buried.

The trio recalled in nostagia how the late Wayas brought about high degree of legislative knowledge and panache to lawmaking in the second republic, urging the government not to hesitate towards giving him a befitting burial.

A press statement jointly issued shortly after sponsoring the motion read in part: “Worried that the remains of the late Senate President, Senator Joseph Wayas is yet to be buried 16 months after death.

” Concerned that this delay is an embarrassment to the National Assembly that he headed between 1979-1983, and the Federal republic of Nigeria.

“Accordingly, call on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency take up the burial plans of Senator Joseph Wayas, and see to his burial before the end of April, 2023.

” The senate agreed that a national monument be named Senator Joseph Wayas.”

Meanwhile, a socio-cultural group based in Cross River State, Basang Nation, has hailed the lawmakers for their eventual intervention over the delay in the burial of Senator Wayas.

The group, in a statement issued to newsmen by it’s President, Hon. Anyawho Sylvanos, yesterday in Calabar, said the delay in the interment of the former Senate President had brought embarrassment not only to the lawmakers, but also to his kinsmen and community in general.

“The president of Basang Nation and leader of the 8th Executive Council of Basang Development Association (BDA), a socio cultural organization with it’s headquarters in Basang, a political Ward in Obanliku local Government Area of CRS.Hon Anyawho Sylvanus Commend
Distinguished Senator Gershom Bassey, senator Sandy Onor, and Senator Jerigbe Agom for taking the delay in Wayas’s burial, to the National Assembly. we received and watch in appreciation your motion as was presented at Senate plenary on Tuesday the 4th of April, 2023. Calling
On the federal government to takeover the burial arrangements of our Son and leader, late senator Dr 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, the state as well as the entire country.

“We also appreciate your call to the Government to immortalized senator Dr. Joseph by Naming the Senate Wing after him. As his immediate community, we request through you our representatives to the National Assembly that a National library be built in wayas compound and the College of Education Campus in Bebi be Converted to Wayas University of Agriculture and an Educational Foundation be set up to be headed by His family and Basang community. These to us, will be a more appreciable way of immortalizing senator Dr. Joseph Wayas”, the statement read in part.

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