November 26, (THEWILL) – Vice President Kassim Shettima has described the late former Minister of Steel Development in the second republic, Wantalegh Paul Iorpuu Unongo, as a model of dignity, humility and purpose.
In a valedictory session held at the Government House, Makurdi, on Tuesday, Shettima said the late Unongo was a father figure to generations of scholars, public servants, politicians and community leaders.
“Pa Unongo demonstrated that leadership can transcend time that service to one’s people can endure even after retirement from the public stage. Eighty-seven years were enough for this exceptional man to write a manual on managing excellence.
According to him, from his beginnings as a brilliant psychologist revolutionising academia in Nigeria, to his dedication to national service, Pa Unongo’s life testifies to the heights that vision, discipline, and determination can achieve.
“He was not just a scholar or a politician; he was a statesman in the truest sense, a man who put the needs of his people and his nation above all else. As others aged into quiet retirement, Pa Unongo chose a more arduous path.”
Vice president Shettima disclosed that the late Unongo became a unifier, a voice for the collective and champion of regional harmony, pointing out that as Chairman of the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), succeeding the revered Alhaji Maitama Sule, Unongo shouldered a weight few could carry.
“In a region often defined by its complexity and diversity, he offered wisdom, tact and a vision of unity that transcended ethnic and religious divides. It was no small feat to speak for such a multifaceted region, yet he did so with grace and integrity.
Shettima noted that Unongo taught them the delicate art of managing diversity without being misunderstood, saying he was honest beyond measure, a quality attested to by the countless eulogies from former students, colleagues, and those privileged to call him a mentor.
He said the gathering at the validictory session was not to
mourn alone, but a celebration of a life well-lived, and legacy well-secured.
Dignitaries at the valedictory session include host, Governor Hyacinth Alia, former president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, Governor of Bauchi, Alhaji Bala Muhammed, among others.
