By Emma Ogbuehi
Reactions continue to pour in from many quarters on the demise of Chief Mrs. Adanma Okpara widow of the Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Iheonukara (M.I) Okpara and Lady Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi, wife of the first military head of state, Major-General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi, who passed on during the week.
Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe and founding chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chekwas Okorie, were among those expressing shock over the loss.
In a statement announcing his reaction, Okezi Ikpeazu said he received with a heavy heart, the news of, Lady Adanma Okpara’s passage. He recalled that Adanma gave the late Premier unflinching support with which they gave the people of the old Eastern Region, a first-class government whose achievements continue to reverberate even till today.
Ikpeazu said the support Adanma provided to her late husband was instrumental to the monumental success he recorded as Premier. The governor noted that despite losing her husband since December, 1984, Lady Adanma remained a model of good and excellent womanhood. “She was a fountain of knowledge from which most women, especially, here in Abia, drank freely”, he stressed.
In similar tone of loss, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe bemoaned the death of the two First Ladies, saying Nigeria and Abia State in particular have lost two great women.
Senator Abaribe in a statement released by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom said the death within a space of two days of Chief Mrs Ironsi wife of first Nigeria Military Head of State Late General Aguiyi Ironsi and Chief Mrs Okpara, wife of former Premier of Eastern Nigeria, Dr Michael Okpara marks a sad end of glorious era.
According to Abaribe, the deceased represented the best and were indeed true testament of the noble role of women in nation building and as conscience of societal sound morals.
“Both women leaders lived out their roles as worthy pillars of support to their husbands, who played pivotal roles in the shaping of Nigeria as a nation at various times when they held sway as Head of State of Nigeria and Premier of Eastern Nigeria respectively.
“I’m happy they lived a robust and very active life of service that is worthy of emulation and of course both of them raised good families and highly successful children who are contributing very well in the development of our dear Country and State of Abia. We are very proud of them and will sorely miss them”, Senator Abaribe said.
He condoled with their families, the government and people of Nigeria as well as the government and people of Abia.
Okorie, who spoke with our correspondent, described the two as women of history who stood with their husbands to give the country the best. He paid glowing tributes to Chief Mrs. Okpara, recalling that it was due to her unwavering support that Dr. Okpara was able to give the Eastern Region the unrivalled governance at the time.
Okorie extolled Lady Aguiyi-Ironsi for her rare virtues, stressing that she would be remembered mostly for her spirit of forgiveness, up to the point of even opening her doors to even those who murdered her husband. He described both as humble and shining examples to womanhood.