From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja

Family and friends of Ohepo Adah Ejiga, earlier in the week, gathered at his Gaduwa, Abuja residence to bid the former Member of the House of Representatives farewell.  Notable amongst those present were the Minister of  State, Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; imediate past Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bawa Bwari; a former Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Justice, Musa Elayo and a host of Ejiga’s former colleagues in the House of Representatives.

Ejiga, from Okpaflo-Adoka, Otukpo Local Government Area, Benue State, represented Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003. He passed away on December 31, 2021 in Abuja.  The service of songs was presided over by the Parish Priest, Church of the Archangels, Gaduwa, Abuja, Rev Fr Ambrose Anene. In his tribute, Nwajiuba said Ejiga was a kind and loving gentleman.

“A kind and loving gentleman goes home to our maker. He has gone ahead, his smiles and wise words live with us. He will be missed. May our good God receive you,” Nwajiuba wrote.  On his part, Bwari said he could not say enough of his friend, Ejiga, explaining that they met in 1999 in the National Assembly where Ejiga was the last person to come to the House of Representatives in their set because he had to sort out some court issues.

“But we became so close. It started like being colleagues and I being the leader of the North Central then, all the members of the North Central were always reporting to me. But Ejiga that came last became the first who was closest to me. We started as colleagues, we became friends and became brothers,” Bwari said.

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Bwari further said Ejiga was more than a friend to him, adding that the first thing that usually attracted one to Ejiga was his wisdom which was original.

“His wisdom was original. His sense of humour was so natural. Anytime I had problems, just a matter of calling Ejiga and he will reduce the problems to nothing. He will make you look like a small boy. He has a way of resolving problems. Ejiga was a friend of friends. Ejiga was a problem solver. Ejiga was everything you can call. He was one of the best we had,” Bwari also said. Elayo also recalled how Ejiga was instrumental to the halting of the planned impeachment of former President Olusegun Obasanjo by the Ghali Umar  Na’Abba-led House of Representatives.

“When all efforts to resolve that problem proved abortive, the President called me to say the problem must be resolved. I went to my dear friend, I called him on the phone, Bwari. With Ejiga, we went to the President and spent many hours with the President and had dinner with the President. They told the president what to do to solve the problem. And that was how the President was saved from impeachment,” Elayo said.

Anene further said Ejiga was always present in all the activities carried out by the Catholic Church, including night vigils, saying that the church would miss Ejiga.

“I believe God decided to call him this time so that he can go and rest,” Anene said.