VP attends Funeral Mass for Ben Akabueze’s Mother – Late Mrs. Roseline Akabueze on 29/09/2017

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Video Transcript

We are here to celebrate the life of our dear mother, and we are here as the friends of the Akabueze family; Ben and his brothers and sisters.

Ben Akabueze as you know is a very unique individual, and I believe that perhaps, there is some water in this town, Ifitedunu, where I think he must have drank some of it, because he has shown himself as a great Nigerian.

He worked with us in Lagos State as Commissioner under the administrations of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and then under Mr. Raji Fashola. He worked continuously for almost ten years, perhaps one of the longest serving Commissioners in the history of Lagos State.

So, when a person who is not an indigene of a state, serves for so long, then he must be a very special person indeed and the President, Muhammadu Buhari, thought it fit to appoint him first as Special Adviser on Planning and now as Director-General of the Budget Office for the Federation.  So, this is a very special gentleman indeed, and I am happy that he is someone in whom we are very proud of. I am happy to be here in his village, to look around.

I want to just thank my Lord Bishop, Paulinus Eze Okafor, for the very wise words that he spoke today and I want to say that, definitely we have a listening President, and a President who is fair-minded. All of what you have said, I intend to convey to Mr President.

I am sure you are aware that the President believes in religious freedom and respect of the people’s right to worship. I am aware that his lordship was around when Mr. President and I attended the Catholic Bishop conference in Abuja where he said certain things and made certain pledges which he has kept to; and one of those pledges is to respect the freedom of everyone to worship, and that he has kept.

One of the most important things about the President is that he a very fair-minded person and I believe that he very partial to this state in particular, and I believe that he loves this State, and I will tell you why.

In 2003, when he first ran for office, his running mate then was Senator Chuba Okadibo an indigene of this State; the second time he ran, his running mate was Chief Edwin Ume-Ezoeke, also an indigene of Anambra State. I think he has a very special affection for this State.

I want to emphasize that one of the cardinal principles of the President is fairness, and my Lord Bishop said so many things and many proverbs about this and I will like to say a proverb around it too.

In my place, our people say that the person that shares the meat is always suspected; so, it is not surprising at all that because he is the one sharing the meat at this time, he would face a lot of criticisms and he must be suspected.