The Nigerian Senate has paid glowing tributes to late Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Oriyomi Adewunmi Onanuga who died on January 15, 2025 at the age of 59.
The Red Chamber also observed a minute silence and adjourned the Tuesday’s plenary immediately in honour of Hon Onanuga.
The Senate also resolved that its President, Senator Godswill Akpabio will lead a delegation comprising principal officers to pay a condolence visit to Speaker Tajudeen Abbas over the demise of the late lawmaker.
The resolutions of the Senate followed a motion by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, at plenary.
Senator Bamidele in his lead debate, said: “It is with profound feeling of grief and a heavy heart that I announce the reason why we cannot actually proceed with the business of the day which is formally announce the untimely death of Hon Oriyomi Onanuga which occurred on Tuesday January 15, 2025 after a brief illness at University College Hospital, Ibadan.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Chief Of Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, Chief Whip, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Senator Shuaib Salisu and Senator Gbenga Daniel also eulogised the late Hon. Onanuga.
“For her to have passed on at a tender age of 59 years is a great loss to the Nation and her family. We would have just observed a minute silence in her honour and close, but we decided to give opportunities to our members to eulogise her,”Senator Akpabio said.
The deceased represented the Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency of Ogun State.
She was first elected to the House in 2019 and re-elected in 2023.
Endorsed Ben Kalu
In 2023, she expressed interest in running for the position of deputy speaker; however, her party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), endorsed Ben Kalu for the role.
In the 9th Assembly, she served as the chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development.
She is the fourth member of the House to pass away in the current 10th Assembly.
Others are Mr. Ekene Adams, Mr. Olajide Akinremi, and Mr. Isa Dangoyaro.
Lateefah Ibrahim
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