Family members of the late former Aviation Minister, Mbazuluike Amaechi (Dara Akunwafor) have urged the federal government to honour their late patriarch with a posthumous award.
The first Vice President General of Ukpor Improvement Union Professor Frank Anaeto made the appeal on behalf of the family yesterday when they paid a courtesy visit to the President General of Ohanaeze worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu in his office at Owerri, where they thanked him for his support during his burial. Anaeto pointed out that the late elder statesman deserved to be honoured by the federal government following his numerous contributions and clamour for peace and unity among the tribes in the country during his lifetime.
He said ”If any Igbo man deserves an award from the federal government, it’s our late father, Mbazuluike Amaechi, he has contributed a lot to the peaceful coexistence of the country when he served as a minister and during his lifetime.
“It is reasonable for the federal government to honour him now since he was not given any award during his lifetime.” Anaeto said.
The son of the late elder statesman Mr Tagbo Amaechi who led other members of the Ukpor Town Union, including the grand patron Chief Dim Nnakife, and the Secretary of the National Funeral Committee, Hon CID Maduabum on the courtesy call, thanked Chief Iwuanyanwu for assembling eminent Nigerians as the Chairman of the funeral Committee to give the late elder statesman a remarkable farewell on Feb 16, 2023.
Responding Chief Iwuanyanwu who said it was a privilege to have serve said to give such an eminent and glorious son of Igboland and Nigeria a befitting farewell worthy of his contributions to the nation not just as a leading nationalist who fought for Nigeria’s independence but for the role he played during his lifetime in ensuring Nigeria’s unity and continued corporate existence.
He assured them that he has already scheduled to meet President Bola Tinubu on the issue of release of Nnamdi Kanu, which the late Dara Akunwafor requested of former President Buhari as his last wish.
He expressed confidence that the President would not disappoint him in releasing Kanu.
“I have made the release of Kanu top of my agenda and I have been doing that even before the end of the tenure of Muhammadu Buhari, I will not relent, I will meet with the president on his release again soon,” Iwuanyanwu said.
Other members of the entourage are Ncheta Amaechi and Sir Mortimo.
