The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, said on Thursday in Abuja that the death of Chief Ojo Maduekwe, a former National Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was a huge loss to the country.
A statement signed by Mr Samuel Olowookere, the Deputy Director (Press) in the ministry, quoted Ngige as saying that Nigeria had lost “a brilliant technocratic and hardworking politician who was philosophical in thinking and logical in disposition”.
“Ojo was sophisticated in knowledge and brutally frank, but devoid of intellectual arrogance. Such a genre is often uncommon among the political class; hence, he was often misunderstood.
“But he gave his best to the nation, having served as the Minister of Culture and Tourism and at another time, Minister of Transport, Foreign Affairs and later, the Ambassador to Canada.
“I, therefore, join the family, relations, friends, the political class and the entire nation in mourning this patriot, who made outstanding contributions to nation building and left an indelible mark in the political history of Nigeria.
“I pray the Almighty God to grant him eternal rest and console the family he left behind,’’ Ngige said in the statement. (NAN)