Former Second Republic Senate President, Joseph Wayas, was reported dead early Thursday morning.
WuzupNigeria had earlier quoted family sources as saying that the elder statesman died of an undisclosed ailment in a London hospital.
Here are 16 details you probably don’t know about the late senator.
1. Wayas was born in Basang, Obudu, Cross River State on 21 May 1941.
2. He attended the famous Dennis Memorial Grammar School in Onitsha.
3. Young Wayas was trained in the United Kingdom where he studied at the Higher Tottenham Technical College, London; West Bronwich College of Commerce, Science and Technology as well as Birmingham and Aston University, Birmingham.
4. The young technocrat joined the civil service in 1969-72 and was made commissioner for Transport in the defunct South-Eastern State, now broken into Akwa Ibom and Cross River states from 1972-74.
5. He became a member of the constituent Assembly in 1977-78.
6. When General Olusegun Obasanjo terminated military rule in 1979, a vibrant Joseph Wayas was elected to the Senate on the platform of National Party of Nigeria and made the Senate President.
7. He represented the Ogoja senatorial district alongside senator Joseph Oqua Ansa who represented calabar senatorial district Wayas had an excellent relationship with president Shehu Shagari, ensuring that bills were generally discussed and agreed before being introduced.
8. Under his leadership, the Senate summoned Tony Momoh, who was editor of the Daily Times, for contempt. This caused a major legal battle in which Momoh successfully argued that as a journalist he was empowered by the constitution to hold government accountable at all times.
9. While visiting the United States in September 1981, Wayas was entertained by boxer Muhammad Ali, who threw a spectacular party in his honour. Ali had previously visited Nigeria and received red-carpet treatment.
10. Wayas was ousted from office along with other members of the Shagari administration when General Muhammadu Buhari staged a coup on New Year’s Eve 1983, and went into exile.
11. He returned in 1987 and was held in political detention, 1987-1988.
12. In 1998 Wayas was a founding member of the All People’s Party and defected to the People’s Democratic Party in 2001 at the influence of Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke.
13. In January 2010, Wayas advocated that Vice President Goodluck Jonathan be authorised to act as President pending the return of President Umaru Yar’Adua, who had been incapacitated by illness for some time.[9]
14. Wayas last major appearance on the political scene was in 2010 when he was honoured with the rank of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
15. He was recorded as the first Senate President to return unspent fund to the treasury.
16. The senator died on Thursday at the age of 80 in London hospital.
