Shell-shocked senators have narrated with misty eyes their evergreen memories of Sule Yari Gandi and of Badamaci Maccido – their two young, and vibrant, colleagues who were snapped up by death in the latest of Nigeria’s rolling air mishaps.
Senate President Ken Nnamani and his Deputy, Ibrahim Mantu, led the Chamber on Tuesday in the recall of the last moments with Gandi, one of the fire eaters who staved off the third term hurricane in May.
Nnamani recounted that Gandi’s utterances last Saturday when he came on a visit to his official residence suggested he had a premonition of his demise.
"Last Thursday," he began, "when we deliberated on Ekiti State, we had to take a short break and made a few contacts. We reached out to our foot soldiers to come and help. Gandi was one of those we called. He came and played the role for which he was drafted.
"On Saturday, Gandi was with me in the house around 7:30 p.m. as he normally came round to the house everyday. If you can remember, he eagerly seconded the motion moved by Senator Patrick Osakwe on April 5, 2005.
"There was mutual likeness between us. On that very Saturday, he told me that he just came back from the Umrah (Lesser Hajj) and that he brought a long garment for me and wanted to know if I liked the colour …. It’s still on my table as I talk to you now…
"Myself and Gandi looked through a picture gallery I am trying to make for senators, which will have each picture of every senator that has been here since 2003.
"Looking through the pictures, an argument arose about our departed colleagues; whether we should include their pictures alongside others or we create a special place for them. Gandi said we should list the senators then include the departed ones last. I told him that I would ask each senator to confirm if he or she was content with the picture or wanted a change.
"He told me that he was content with his own picture because of the cap and that he wasn’t going to change it. After some pleasantries, he left.
"Looking back now, when he told me that he wanted the pictures of our departed colleagues last in the gallery, he didn’t know that he would be a part of the last list. I am at a loss to say how I feel."
Nnamani noted that Maccido was one of those "who vigorously campaigned for me in 2005," and that "one thing he did last Thursday, which has now turned to be symbolic, was when it was time to take a decision on Ekiti.
"For the first time, Senators Olorunnimbe Mamora and Uche Chukwumerije said Yes to an issue they were opposed to. That was the height of negotiation. But Maccido, because of his belief, left the Chamber. He didn’t want to ruin our record and say No."
Mantu said he was happy that before his death, he and Gandi reconciled on the initiative of the deceased.
"On the 17th day of Ramadan, he came to my house and told me that there was no better time to reconcile than now. I told him that we had reconciled before, but he said: ‘I’ve come again so that you can accept me fully.’
"We spent more than two hours together on that day and he told me, ‘I am going for Umrah. I will pray for you, pray for Nigeria and pray for you that you will go higher than this.’
"When he returned from Saudi Arabia, he gave me a bottle of perfume and said he carefully chose it for me. He told me that whenever I wear the perfume, I should realise that he has come to please me and not to annoy me."
www.dailyindependentonline.com
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