Tinubu Mourns Former Minister Onu

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has mourned the first civilian governor of Abia State and former Minister of Science and Technology,  Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.
In a two-page page tribute entitled: “Goodnight, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Goodbye Perfect Gentleman”, the president described Onu as a true leader whose absence would be sorely missed by the nation, family, friends and professional colleagues.
Tinubu, in the tribute personally signed, stressed that the deceased was a true progressive and quintessential politician,who contributed greatly to the formation of the legacy party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that has produced two presidents namely Muhammadu Buhari and himself.
On behalf of the Nigerian nation, Tinubu appreciated Onu as he takes his final bow for his invaluable services to Nigeria.
“We thank him and pray that his soul rest well in the bosom of the Lord. His legacy will continue to inspire us to strive for the ideals he held dear.
“When Dr Ogbonnaya Onu died on April 11, 2024, I did not doubt that our country had lost a perfect gentleman, elder statesman, patriotic Nigerian, and staunch believer in our march towards Nigeria’s true destiny as a great nation.
“Dr Onu was a true progressive. He was also a quintessential politician, one many adored and looked up to for inspiration and direction.
“He believed in the ideals of the progressive movement as a way to develop our country, which is why he worked tirelessly for the progressives’ emergence on the nation’s stage in 2015.
“Dr Onu’s contributions to forming our legacy political party, the All Progressives Congress, in the build-up to the 2015 election are on record. His then All Nigeria Peoples Party was fractious at the time.
“But we can hardly forget how Onu rallied that party’s progressive wing to ally with the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria and Congress for Progressive Change to form the All Progressives Congress we have today.
“He provided leadership and direction within our party. The rest, as they say, is history. We must thank Dr. Onu, among others, for this critical work in the birth of our party and for what we have achieved thus far. Thus far, our party has produced two presidents, including me.
“It has, therefore, become imperative for us as leaders of our party and nation to continue to do our utmost best to provide good governance, uplift the living standards of our people, and hoist high the APC banner as we strive to take our country to the Promised Land.
“We must do this in memory of Dr. Onu and others who left us and helped to take our country to this day. Let us continue Dr. Onu’s work and strive to make him proud.
“Dr. Onu did much more than the invaluable role he played in forming APC. He contributed a lot to the development of Abia State and Nigeria. Prolific author and renowned engineer Dr. Onu was the first civilian governor of Abia State.
“He did the pioneering work, laying the infrastructural foundation for the state’s development for other successive governors to build on. He was a brilliant administrator and a committed public servant.
“As the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation from November 2015 until his resignation in 2022, Dr Onu was the longest-serving minister of the ministry.
“It was a mark of his competence and importance that he superintended that important sector for that long. Dr. Onu was genuinely impactful. Goodbye Perfect Gentleman.
“Dr Onu was a leader, a fine gentleman, and a good man. His soft-spoken and genial nature, coupled with his welcoming and accommodating demeanour, endeared him to all who had the privilege of knowing him.
“His absence will be deeply felt by this nation, his family, professional colleagues, associates, and the countless individuals who saw him as a true leader and hero.

“As Dr. Onu takes his final bow, I would like to express our deepest gratitude on behalf of a grateful nation for his invaluable services to Nigeria. We thank him and pray that his soul rest well in the bosom of the Lord. His legacy will continue to inspire us to strive for the ideals he held dear.”