The Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Anglican Diocese, Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma has advised politicians to shun politics of selfishness and aggrandisement.
Chukwuma also urged politicians to establish themselves in other areas of human endeavour before venturing into politics in order to serve selflessly.
The archbishop gave the advice in a sermon during the Interdenominational Commendation Service in honour of former Vice President, late Dr Alex Ekwueme in Enugu on Wednesday.
He described the late Ekwueme as an `epitome of humility’ and hard work whose foot prints needed to be emulated by political leaders.
The cleric noted that the deceased went into politics already established, adding that such feat gave him the leverage to serve with all sincerity of purpose.
Chukwuma said that the South East had lost a colossus who represented the people of the area fearlessly in speech and indeed.
The bishop said that he was worried by the vacuum left by the passage of the deceased, adding that the governors from the zone had not shown enough commitment to leadership.
“Who among our governors can stand to be counted?
“You are playing politics of selfishness, aggrandisement while there is hunger in the land. God is watching you. Who among you will stand for the people like the late Ekwueme?
“What legacy will you leave? Many of you are not doing well in your respective states,” he said.
Chukwuma admonished the governors and other politicians to be mindful of what they do with their positions and how they treat others around them.
“Make sure you eradicate poverty in your states and make yourself accessible to your people,” he charged them.
According to Chukwuma, one of the major challenges of leadership in the country was recycling of leaders.
He said that those who were already old needed to leave the stage for the younger generation.
“Many of you had nothing doing before you went into politics and that is why you recycle yourself.
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“The late Ekwueme went into politics already established and that was why he was courageous and insisted that military dictatorship in Nigeria must end,” he said.
The bishop urged the governors of the South East to borrow a leaf from the late sage, adding that he was saddened by the type of politics they played.
Chukwuma said that the former vice president would be remembered by the Anglican Church for all he did.
“The church is fully represented here because of his contribution to the Anglican Communion, Nigeria and humanity in general. We have come to rejoice and celebrate a great man.
“Before his death, the late Ekwueme discovered his mistakes and asked for forgiveness and I know God shall grant him eternal repose,” he said.
The bishop thanked the Federal Government for its intervention when he was sick and during the build up to the burial ceremony.
Chukwuma also thanked the governors of the South East for their various levels of intervention and for organising a befitting commendation service for the late icon.
Speaking on behalf of the Ekwueme family, his younger brother, Prof. Obumneme Ekwueme said that they were overwhelmed by the kind of words spoken about their father and brother.
Ekwueme described the death of the former vice president as a monumental loss to the family but added that they were reassured by the support got from Nigerians.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governors of the South East states took turns to render their tributes as well as pay their last respect to the deceased.
The corpse was, thereafter, driven in a motorcade to Anambra for continuation of the burial rites.
NAN further reports that the late Ekwueme who was the first elected vice president of Nigeria between 1979 and 1984 died on Nov. 19 in a London hospital after a brief illness.
Prominent among dignitaries that attended the event were former Vice President Atiku Abubaka, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal who represented former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, and Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu.
Others in attendance were former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, Mr Peter Obi, Dr. Chris Ngige, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Chief Pius Anyim, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe among others.
