By Adesuwa Tsan
365Daily – The House of Representatives has held a valedictory session for Hon. Ossy Prestige who passed on earlier in February, 2021.
The session, led by the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, began with the adoption of a motion moved by the House Leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, to admit the family of late lawmaker into the chamber for the valedictory session.
It was seconded by the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu.
In his welcome remarks, the Speaker said the late lawmaker was a good friend and colleague and urged his colleagues to make their tributes as brief as possible because his family had to travel back home after the event.
In his tribute, Hon. Nkole Ndukwe said the deceased lawmaker was a gentleman whose love for his constituents was very obvious.
“He was dedicated to his duties, and he has impacted in one way or the other on all of us. I pray that the Almighty God will rest his soul. I sympathise with his family,” he said.
Hon. Obinna Chidoka said Hon Ossy was a good man who left a legacy that will continue to be in lovely memory of his people.
He added, “We were very close. We interacted as brothers. When he was away in Germany, I was in constant touch with him. May his soul rest in peace”.
On his part, Hon. Darlington Nwokocha lamented that “the death of Hon. Ossy was a painful one.
“He was very phenomenal in life. He was a gentleman with a good heart. He left a very big shoe. He won his election in Aba not by party but by personality. I sympathise with the House, his family and his people. May God rest his soul”.
Similarly, Hon. Dagomie Abiante remembered him for good, adding, “He was an inspiration to a lot of us. He took the plight of his people as his plight. He did a lot for his people while alive. Like the Holy Book says, there is indeed a time for everyone. We join our voices to say that Ossy Prestige rests in peace.”
A close ally of the deceased, Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakubu, in his tribute to the deceased, who he described as “a friend and a brother,” said, “We met in 2015 in this House. That was how we developed our relationship beyond brothers.
“He visited my village about four times, and everybody knew him in my village. He knew my parents, and they knew him. The people of Aba will miss him a lot. We travelled to a lot of places around the world together. He was always with me. He was a strong man. Even this morning, my daughter asked me that ‘daddy, do you believe that Hon. Prestige is gone?’ And I said death is a necessary end for everyone. Even in his sickbed, he advised me to always go for medical checkups”.
Hons. Okudili Ezenwankwo, Chike John Okafor, Ifeanyi Chidi Momah and Babajimi Benson also paid glowing tributes to their late colleague.
Though a Senator, Senate Minority Leader, Eyinnaya Abaribe, was also given the floor to honour the former lawmaker.
He said in his tribute that he was from the same Senatorial zone of Abia South with Hon. Prestige but they belonged to different political parties.
The Senator continued, “You will never know that we were from different political parties because we were always working together. Death is something that reveals a lot of things. So many people depended on Ossy. So many people will be grieving in their hearts but death doesn’t know anybody’s father. We are asking death not to come to us again. We’re with the family. While we mourn, we also celebrate the man. For us, we’re both mourning and celebrating Hon. Ossy Prestige. May his soul rest in peace”.
Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, on his part, said the presence of a cross-section of the people in the chamber was a testimony of who Hon. Ossy Prestige was.
He noted that the lawmaker was very active with a powerful presence in the chamber and outside it.
The lawmaker recalled that he went to London to see him but never knew it was going to be the last meeting between them.
Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, also had pleasant recollections of the late Hon. Prestige.
According to him, the late lawmaker found leadership and service as education and made the most of his God-given talent to impact others.
He added that he worked hard for the good of his people within the confines of the law and “was a loyal minority caucus member.”
“He tried to survive the illness to be able to fulfil his promises to his family and his constituents,” he added.
Deputy Whip, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said the late Prestige was a decent man who was diligent about his job and passionate about his people with a burning desire to improve their lives.
On his part, House Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, while consoling the family, said death is inevitable and urged leaders at all levels to always think of it as a necessary end by serving the people with their hearts and might.
While rounding up the tributes, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila recalled how he went to London to visit the deceased on his sickbed but was denied access by the hospital authorities for administrative reasons.
The Speaker said he was shocked and moved when on his way out, the late lawmaker came down to the lobby to meet him with a drip on his hand.
“We talked, we laughed and we prayed,” the Speaker added.
“I’ll try to speak with a smiling face. I’ll smile, even though we grieve, but I know that our colleague, friend and brother always wore a smiling face. I still have some fond memories of him.
“This is a great loss to the people of Aba, the people of Abia, the people of the Southeast and the people of Nigeria.
“A couple of days ago, I came across a motion that he did. You could see the depth of his knowledge in that motion.
“He was a powerful member of this House. He was the leader of the House of Commons in this House. If you come with a motion or Bill and you don’t contact them, you’re on your own. These are some of the things I want to remember and smile any time I think of him. He was as committed as he was passionate. He had a consuming personality. He had a life larger-than-life itself. As we grieve, let’s continue to smile and laugh.
“There’s a hollowness in this hallowed chamber since the demise of Hon. Prestige. There’s a void in this chamber. He was a man of great character. I will miss him, the House will miss him, the people of Aba and Nigeria will miss him.
“We pray for the family, the wife and children that God will continue to stand by you, to be with you.”
At the end of the session, the lawmakers filed out to pay their last respect to their departed colleague whose body was lying in state at the lobby of the White House building.
The House, thereafter, adjourned plenary till Wednesday 21th, 2021.