Lady Adanna Okpara (left) and Dame Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi
Mainland Oil mourns late Mrs Aguiyi-Ironsi, Okpara
Sopuruchi Onwuka
The board, management and staff of Mainland Oil and Gas Limited have declared deep sense of loss at the coincidental deaths of two prominent matriarchs of Abia State, the late Mrs Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi and Mrs Adanma Okpara who died separately within 48 hours recently.
While Mrs Aguiyi-Ironsi died at almost 98 years, Mrs Okpara lived for 96 years.
Mrs Aguiyi-Ironsi was the widow of Nigeria’s first military Head of State, who was also the first indigenous General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Nigerian Army, Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi.
Mrs Okpara, on the other hand, was the widow of Dr Michael I. Okpara, the Premier of the former Eastern Nigerian Region before the Nigerian civil war.
Group Managing Director of Mainland Oil, Dr Christian Igwe, stated that the entire Christnak Group of Companies is saddened by the death of the two former first ladies from the state, pointing out that their death closed a glorious chapter in the history of the state.
Mainland Oil and Gas Limited is the leading subsidiary of Chrisnak Ventures Limited.
Dr Igwe pointed out that the former first ladies contributed immensely to the achievements of their husbands in building a united Nigeria and industrious eastern region of the country respectively.
The late General Aguiyi Ironsi had fought bravely to rekindle the unity of Nigeria after the unfortunate military putsch of 1966, establishing a number of unification policies that still stands till today. He conceptualized the establishment of the federal unity schools and the National Youth Serve Corps (NYSC) designed to provide the platforms of national unity for Nigerian youths.
He projected a detribalized leadership by appointing people from various parts of the country regardless of their ethnicity or religion into key positions and even on his personal staff.
On the other hand, Sir Michael Okpara, who was the premier of the defunct Eastern Region of the country in the first republic, laid the foundation for industrial and commercial status of states in the current southeast and southsouth regions of the country.
Dr Okpara’s government invested heavily in education, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, mining, trade and commerce; and the Eastern Region became one of the world’s fastest growing economies by the end of Nigeria’s First Republic.
Dr Michael Okpara led a selfless leadership of the region, deploying all resources at the disposal of the region in building enduring infrastructure and industrial base for next generation of eastern Nigerians.
Despite being a medical doctor who served at different times as the Minister of Health and Minister of Agriculture in the Eastern Region in the 1950s before becoming the Premier for six years, Dr Okpara left government poorer to the extent that his first house in Umuahia, Abia State, was donated by his personal friends in the 1980s.
Dr Igwe pointed out that the lofty achievements of the two former administrators would not have been possible without the strong backstage support of their spouses during the trying times of nation building. He said the late first ladies supported the successes of their husbands in no small way in building a better Nigeria.
Dr Igwe pointed out that the passage of the two great ladies was a reminder to the current generation to imbibe the culture of selfless service and family culture by toeing the paths of virtue and providing genuine support for men in saddle of political leadership.
While expressing grief at the death of the two matriarchs, Dr Igwe expressed gratitude to God for keeping them to see the growth of their families and actualize the dreams of their husbands who departed earlier.
He called all the descendants of the two ladies to uphold the already established virtues of selfless service, honor, integrity and uncommon strength. He prayed God to grant the families, government and people of Abia State the grace to bear the glorious but painful exit of the late Mrs Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi and Mrs Adanma Okpara.
