Northern Governors Forum (NGF), Northern Elders’ Forum (NEC), Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and northern youths yesterday paid glowing tributes to elder statesman Dr. Paul Wantaregh Unongo, who died on Tuesday.
They said the deceased in his lifetime never failed to speak out on national issues and advance solutions to resolving them.
The chairman of the NGF and Governor of Plateau State Simon Lalong said Unongo was an achiever who served Nige-ria with passion and patriotism.
Lalong in a statement issued in Jos by his director of press and public affairs Dr. Simon Makut Macham described Unongo as a thorough intellectual and notable politician.
He said the deceased played a great role in the democratic journey of Nigeria and will be remembered as one who stood for justice, equity and fairness.
As Minister for Steel Development in the Second Republic and pioneer secretary-general of the Nigerian People’s Par-ty (NPP), Lalong said Unongo demonstrated capacity and ability to work with Nigerians from all walks of life and differ-ent parts of the country towards building a greater nation.
On its part, NEF has expressed sadness over the death of the elder statesman, describing his death as a huge loss to the North and Nigeria.
This is contained in a statement by the convener of NEF, Professor Ango Abdullahi and made available to LEADERSHIP in Abuja, yesterday.
According to the statement, Unongo, a former convener of NEF who had also deputised for Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Sule, Danmasanin Kano, died on Tuesday, 29th November, 2022 in Jos, following a prolonged illness. He was 87.
NEF said Unongo’s life was a study in patriotism and activism, adding that he was a vanguard of the Zikist Movement, and rose through the political ladders of pre-independence and post-independence challenges and opportunities with distinction, shaped by a searing intelligence and a character that was rare.
Also, ACF and the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) expressed sadness over the death of the deputy chairman of NEF and commiserated with the family, the entire people of Benue State, the North and the country at large.
A statement issued by the secretary-general of the forum Murtala Aliyu described Unongo as a patriotic Nigerian and a passionate northerner, who dedicated his entire life to the service of his people and humanity, adding that he lived an interesting and fulfilling journey in life.
“A member of the 1994 Constitutional Conference, the late Unongo, chaired the States’ Creation Committee. A found-ing member of many political associations in Nigeria, Dr Wantaregh Paul Onongo, with the likes of Dr. Tunji Otegbeyi, the late Solomon Daushep Lar, Chief Femi Okunno, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi and another role model, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, they formed the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP) and was its pioneer secretary-general”.
ACF said the Onongo was a critical key in the formation of a National Government, spearheaded by the then alliance of two political parties, the defunct NPN and NPP that took power from the military and headed by the late President Shehu Shagari in 1979.
The CNG in its statement issued by the spokesperson Abdulazeez Suleiman described the elder statesman’s death as a big loss to northern Nigeria.
“The CNG notes that the death of Chief Unongo, a former convener of the Northern Elders Forum on Tuesday, 29th November, 2022 is another monumental loss to Nigeria and the North after that of Amb Yusuf Maitama Sule, Danmas-anin Kano.
“The Wantaregh who died at age 87 in Jos, following a prolonged illness, was indeed a great statesman whose leader-ship, statesmanship and commitment to the protection of the northern values and promotion of national unity was unmatched,” he said.
