Senate Observes a Minute Silence for Olowoporoku

• Receives committee’s report on four health bills

By Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu

The Senate Wednesday, observed a minute silence in honour of Senator Bode Olowoporoku who died recently after a brief illness at the age of 76.

This followed a point of order raised on his demise by former Senate Minority Leader, Senate Biodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti South).

Coming under Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rules, Olujimi noted that Senator Olowoporoku, who was born in llawe-Ekiti, Ekiti State in 1945, was at the forefront in the agitation for the creation of Ekiti State.

She said he provided extensive funding, and also played a prominent role working with the Council of Ekiti Obas and the committee for the creation of Ekiti State, adding that he utilized his robust network through his close friends — Olusola Saraki and Adamu Ciroma — to meet the late Head of State, Sani Abacha, for the creation of Ekiti State.

According to her, the deceased served as the senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District between 2003 and 2007, adding that due to his love for Ekiti State and its people, he offered to serve as the Governor of Ekiti State on three occasions but as fate would have it, he was not elected.

“Olowoporoku was a nationalist, a proud Ekiti elder statesman and philanthropist. We will miss him dearly for his irreplaceable role as a caring father,” Olujimi said.

The Senate also on Wednesday received the report of its Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary) on four bills referred to it by the upper chamber.

The bills are: the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2021; Sickle Cell Anaemia (Prevention, Control and Management) Bill, 2021; Tertiary Hospitals Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2021; and Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State (Establishment) Bill, 2021.

The report was laid by the Committee Chairman, Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe (APC, Kwara Central).