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The remains of late Gen. Andrew Azazi
(retd) in Yenagoa, who died alongside a former Governor of Kaduna State,
Mr. Patrick Yakowa and four others in a naval helicopter crash , were
buried on Saturday in Bayelsa State.
Azazi was buried amidst tears and
glowing tributes from family members and sympathisers including President
Goodluck Jonathan.
He was buried at the newly created
National Heroes Park, close to the Ijaw House, along the Sani Abacha
Expressway, Yenagoa.
Northern and South-West governors
were absent at the funeral while governors of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel
Uduaghan and his counterpart in Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, were the only
ones in attendance.
Our correspondent observed that the
Perentogbere community of the late Azazi boycotted the funeral.
Jonathan arrived at the venue of the
service in company with his wife, Patience, after the casket was laid in state
but left after the service that lasted over five hours.
The President, in his remarks, said,
“If Nigerians would change their attitude, you will realise that most of these
issues being attributed to corruption are not caused by corruption. Recently, I
met with officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps who told me that they had
discovered that majority of the road accidents are recorded on good roads. So
you can see it is not a matter of corruption, it is an issue of the people’s
attitude.”
Jonathan, who was absent at the
interment, described Azazi as a good Nigerian that served the country
selflessly.
He said, “He was one good Nigerian.
When I was to appoint my first set of service chiefs, I consulted Azazi who was
not the NSA then. He did the analysis, believed in merit and competence. I had
no regrets when I appointed them.
“If 50 per cent of Nigerians with
privileged to have been certain offices would behave like General Azazi, this
country will change.”
Also, the President of the Christian
Association of Nigeria, Mr. Ayo Oritsejafor, said the late Azazi would be
remembered for his integrity.
He said, “A great man has gone but
one thing stood out about him and that was integrity. Greatness is never about
what you have, it is about what you do with what you have.”
The Minister of Petroleum, Mrs.
Allison Madueke, also said Azazi was a thorough strategic analyst.
Madueke who spoke on behalf of the
Federal Execurite Council said, “A big tree has fallen in Ijaw land.”
In his remarks, the Chief of Army
Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika, said the late Azazi spearheaded the
transformation of the Nigerian Army.
He said, as a colonel several years
back, he and others adopted the deceased as a role model both in the service
and in private life.
Those present at the funeral included
the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice
Admiral Dele Ezeoba; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh and the Chief
of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Rivers
State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on Saturday named the Nkpogu Road which is
undergoing dualisation in Port Harcourt, the state capital, after Azazi.
He said the state would sponsor an
award, chair or prize dedicated to Azazi’s honour in a reputable institution in
the country.
“On Monday I will erect a signboard
that will change Nkpogu Road to Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi Road,” he said.
Dickson directed his deputy, Rear
Admiral John Jonah, to liaise with the leadership of the military to work out
modalities of immortalising Azazi.
Dickson also said a befitting edifice
and memorial lecture would be named after the late general.
He said he had already directed the Ijaw History
Project to document the life and times of General Azazi alongside Isaac Jasper
Adaka Boro, Harold Dappa Biriye and other Ijaw heroes, both living and dead
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