President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to attend the ‘Day of Tribute’ organised in honour of late elder statesman, nationalist and one of the last remaining fathers of Nigerian Independence, Chief Mbazulike Amechi (Dara Akunwafor).
Also expected at the Day of Tribute, slated for Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, is the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
The Day of Tribute is part of the programme for the funeral of Chief Amechi, who died on November 1, 2022 at the age of 93. He was Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation in the First Republic and former parliamentarian.
Immediate-past President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ), has been chosen as the chairman of the occasion, while the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, have been penciled down as the Special Guests of Honour.
Presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); All Progressives Congress (APC), and Labour Party (LP) – Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Mr Peter Obi respectively – are among those invited for the programme, a statement signed by the secretary of the planning committee, Hon. CID Maduabum, said.
The Chairman of the Planning Committee of the ‘Day of Tribute’ in Abuja is Senator Ben Obi.
The burial is slated for February 16, 2023 at Ukpor, Nnewi South local government area of Anambra State.
Several State governors, Ministers, politicians and members of the Diplomatic Community have already indicated their interest in attending the programme billed for 12noon.
This was confirmed in the programme of the event put in place by the National Planning Committee for Funeral of Chief Amechi, which has Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu as chairman and Hon. CID Maduabum as secretary.
Other top government functionaries, captains of industries, high profile politicians and professionals from various walks of life are expected to grace the programme.
Similar ‘Day of Tribute’ has been scheduled to take place at the International Convention Center (ICC), Awka, Anambra State, for the late nationalist by 12noon on
Tuesday, February 14, 2023.
Various committees have already been set up for the success of the funeral programme.
One of such is the Finance Committee, which has former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, as the chairman.
Similarly, a 39-member State Organising Committee (SOC) of eminent personalities has also been constituted in Anambra State to assist the National Planning Committee in organising a befitting funeral for Chief Mbazulike Amechi.
The 39-member SOC has Chief Innocent Chukuwuma of Innoson Motors as chairman and Chief Maja Umeh as co-chairman.
