Anambra State House of Assembly has held a valedictory session in honor of late Hon. Ernest Madu Onyekwena, a former lawmaker who represented Orumba North Constituency in the old Anambra State during the Second Republic in 1983.
Angel Network News (ANN) gathered that
Onyekwena, who hailed from Ufuma community in Orumba North Local Government Area, passed away at the age of 78.
Late Onyekwena served as the Chairman, House Committee on Higher Education
during his time in the Assembly.
In a tribute, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Okoye, at described the late Onyekwena as a distinguished community leader and a dedicated public servant. He highlighted Onyekwena’s unwavering commitment to legislative processes and his lasting impact on his constituency.
Paying glowing tributes to the late lawmaker, the member representing Orumba North Constituency, Hon. Paul Obu, and his Orumba South counterpart, Hon. Emma Nwafor, expressed their deep sense of loss, noting that Onyekwena was instrumental in the development of Orumba region.
They credited Onyekwena for playing a key role in the establishment of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, and Federal Polytechnic, Oko, among other achievements, despite his brief tenure of six months in the Assembly.
Other lawmakers, including the member representing Anaocha Constituency Two, Hon. Ejike Okechukwu, the Majority Leader, Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme, the member representing Ihiala Constituency Two, Hon. Golden Iloh and Hon. Uchenna Ogbonna, who represented Orumba North in the Fourth Assembly, eulogized Onyekwena for his courage and capacity to serve effectively during a turbulent period in Nigeria’s history, noting that his leadership and contributions during the military regime underscored his remarkable abilities.
In a vote of thanks, Dr. Obinna Onyekwena, the son of the deceased, expressed his gratitude to the Assembly for honoring his late father.
He assured the lawmakers that his family will continue to uphold and live by the legacies left behind by Dr. Onyekwena, who had dedicated his life to the service of his community and the betterment of society.
