Orji Urges FG To Immortalise Fafunwa

Theodore Orji of Abia has urged the Federal Government to immortalise the former Minister of Education, Prof. Babs Fafunwa, who died in Abuja on Monday. Fafunwa, 87, died after a brief illness and was buried in Lagos on Tuesday according to Muslim rites.

A statement by Mr Ugochukwu Emezue, the Special Adviser on Electronic Media to the Governor, on Wednesday, quoted Orji as describing Fafunwa as “an icon, a pillar and educationist par excellence”.

He declared: “The former minister even in his old age, remained vibrant in his contributions to the development of the education sector in Nigeria”.

“Fafunwa, who died in Abuja ahead of the presentation of an award to him by the National Open University of Nigeria, will forever live in the minds of Nigerians.”

Orji said the deceased fought hard to take education to an enviable heigth during his tenure as minister under the military regime of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

The statement said the governor had also sent a condolence message to Governor  Liyel Imoke of Cross River over the death of his mother.           

In the message, Orji described her as a devout Christian, and urged Imoke to bear the loss with fortitude”.