Cross River State senators in the National Assembly have called on the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, take up the burial plans of Senator Joseph Wayas and see to his burial before the end of April, 2023.
The remains of Wayas have been in the morgue of a London hospital since 16 months ago.
Senators Gershom Bassey, Sandy Onor and Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe sponsored the motion on the floor of the Senate and also advocated that the former Senate President, who led the Senate from 1979 to 1983, be immortalised.
They agreed that a national monument be named after him.
Reacting to the development, the late Wayas’ Basang community in Obanliku LGA of Cross River State issued a statement, commending the senators for the motion.
In the statement, the president of Basang nation and leader of the 8th Executive Council of Basang Development Association (BDA), Anyawho Sylvanus, said: “We commend the distinguished senators for taking the delay in Wayas’ burial to the National Assembly. We received and watched in appreciation your motion as was presented at Senate plenary on Tuesday the 4th of April, 2023, calling on the federal government to take over the burial arrangements of our son and leader, late Senator (Dr) Joseph Wayas.
“The entire Basang people, both at home and in diaspora do appreciate your call for federal government intervention.”
On immortalising the late Wayas’, instead of naming a national monument after the former number three citizen, the community rather requested that a national library be built in Wayas’ compound [and] the College of Education campus in Bebi community be converted to Wayas University of Agriculture.
They also called for the establishment of an educational foundation in his name.
“These to us, will be a more appreciable way of immortalising Senator Joseph Wayas,” they maintained.
DAILY POST recalls that the delayed internment of Wayas’ remains have become a national issue following the controversies which surrounded the initial fund released by the state governor for the burial.