Joseph Wayas’ Body Arrives in Nigeria
After two years and nine months since his passing, the remains of former Senate President, Dr. Joseph Wayas, have finally returned to Nigeria for burial. Dr. Wayas, who served as Nigeria’s Senate President from October 1, 1979, to December 31, 1983, passed away on November 30, 2021, in a London hospital at the age of 80. His wife died 12 days later and was buried shortly after. However, Dr. Wayas’ body remained in a London morgue, leading to various controversies and speculations about a secret burial.
Tne Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Bassey Otu Earlier this year ordered repatriation of Joseph Wayas’ remains to Nigeria. On Wednesday morning July 10th at 4:30 am, his body was received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by his family, friends, and prominent figures from the Cross River North Senatorial District, including Senator Jarigbe Agom, Hon. Peter Akpanke, Johnny Agom, SAN, and Dr. Dom Cklaimz Enamhe. The body was then transported to the National Hospital in Abuja and placed in the morgue.
Senator Jarigbe Agom and Hon. Peter Akpanke expressed their relief and satisfaction at the body’s return to Nigeria. Although grieving, his late wife’s family also expressed their gratitude to those who helped bring his remains back. Following the deaths of Wayas and his wife, then-Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State established a committee led by former Minister of Justice Kanu Agabi to manage the burial arrangements. Ayade approved and released N200 million to the committee, with an additional N50 million promised.
The committee allocated N100 million to a sub-committee led by former NDLEA Director General Dave Ashang, tasked with repatriating Wayas’ remains. Despite these efforts, the task proved difficult, prompting concerned individuals from Cross River North to form a volunteer group, “Who is Who in Northern Cross River,” to ensure the return of his body and a fitting burial. The coordinated efforts and donations from local indigenes made the return of his body possible.
About Joseph Wayas
Joseph Wayas was born on May 21, 1941, in Basang, Obudu, Cross River State. He attended Dennis Memorial Grammar School in Onitsha and furthered his education in the United Kingdom. He studied at Higher Tottenham Technical College in London, West Bromwich College of Commerce, Science and Technology in Birmingham, and Aston University in Birmingham. Upon returning to Nigeria, Wayas worked as a manager or controller for various companies in Nigeria and the UK from 1960 to 1969.
He was a member of the Society of International Affairs at Lincoln University in the United States. Wayas joined the Federal Government between 1969 and 1972 and served as Commissioner for Transport for the South-Eastern State, now Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, from 1972 to 1974. He was also a member of the Constituent Assembly in 1977-78.
When General Olusegun Obasanjo ended military rule in 1979, Joseph Wayas was elected to the Senate on the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) platform and appointed Senate President. He represented the northern senatorial district alongside Senator Joseph Oqua Ansa, who represented the Calabar senatorial district. Wayas maintained an excellent relationship with President Shehu Shagari, ensuring that bills were discussed and agreed upon before introduction.
Under Wayas’ leadership, the Senate summoned Tony Momoh, editor of the Daily Times, for contempt, leading to a major legal battle. Momoh successfully argued that as a journalist, he was empowered by the constitution to hold the government accountable. In September 1981, Wayas was entertained by boxer Muhammad Ali during a visit to the United States.
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Wayas was a leader in the NPN party’s “Lagos Group,” supporting a change of governor in Cross River State against the incumbent governor Clement Isong. He left office when General Muhammadu Buhari staged a coup on New Year’s Eve 1983 and went into exile. He returned to Nigeria in 1987 and was held in political detention from 1987 to 1988.
Later, Wayas was Deputy Chairman of the 1994/1995 National Constitutional Conference Commission, which organized and midwifed the National Conference. In 1998, he was a founding member of the All People’s Party but later joined the People’s Democratic Party in 2001. He was a strong advocate for true federalism as a solution to Nigeria’s democratic issues. In October 2003, he criticized ongoing local council reforms by the Federal Government as unconstitutional.
Wayas was appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the South-South Peoples Assembly (SSPA). In January 2009, he described post-election petitions to electoral tribunals as senseless and time-wasting. That same year, he was nominated for the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), one of Nigeria’s highest honors, which he received in 2010 from President Goodluck Jonathan. In January 2010, Wayas advocated for Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to act as President pending the return of President Umaru Yar’Adua, who was incapacitated by illness.
Joseph Wayas’ Body Arrives in Nigeria
