Former President of the Nigerian Senate, Joseph Wayas, is dead.
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers State, made this known on Thursday in Calabar, the state capital.
The 81 years-old Wayas, died in a London hospital in the early hours of Thursday after a protracted illness.
Wayas served as Nigeria’s third Senate President during the country’s second republic and was in office between 1979–1983.
Governor Ayade in a Facebook post said, “I received with profound sense of loss and shock, the sad news of the death of Former President of the Nigerian Senate, Dr. Joseph Wayas.
“As a state, Cross River is in pains as we mourn the passing of our illustrious son. He was a rare gem. Dr Wayas’ demise is indeed a monumental loss to our dear state and Nigeria.
“As Senate President, Dr Wayas contributed to the deepening of Nigeria’s democratic ethos through his robust and vibrant leadership of the upper legislative chamber.
“Since his retirement from active politics, the former Senate President had been playing a fatherly and stabilising role in the politics and affairs of our state.
“I condole with Dr Wayas’ family. His demise is a collective loss and the pains a shared one”.
Wayas, a beneficiary of federal government scholarship, who is fluent in several Nigerian languages, trained in the United States and United Kingdom.
After his doctorate degree, Wayas returned to Nigeria in 1973, and was at the airport appointed Commissioner by late Brigadier Jacob Esuene, military governor of the now defunct South-eastern state.
At the time Wayas was 26.
In 1977, aged 34, Wayas was elected into the Constituent Assembly. Two years later, at 36, Wayas, one of the biggest financiers of the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN) was elected President of the Nigerian Senate.
A personal friend of boxing legend Muhammed Ali, and promoter Don King, Wayas, in 1977 caused a stir in the US when he bought off Elizabeth Taylor’s controversial choice home in Beverly Hills.
A very private man since General Muhammed Buhari sacked the Shehu Shagari government in 1983, President Goodluck Jonathan last year honoured Wayas with the rank of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON)
