President Muhammadu Buhari has eulogized former Minister of Iron & Steel Development of the second republic, Wantaregh Paul Iyorpuu Unongo who died on Tuesday at 87 died on Tuesday morning in Jos at Plateau State capital .
Buhari expressed sadness over his demise and said the country has lost an elder statesman.
In a tribute, released in Abuja Tuesday evening by the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), Garba Shehu, President Buhari acknowledged the close relationship he had with the deceased.
He said that “in all the positions he held as a politician and public officer, he displayed a high level of decorum. He was a colossus in public life, very articulate and witty. He served his community and the nation extremely well.
“My deepest condolences to the bereaved family, and the government and people of Benue State,” the President said.
A strong politician, Unongo, who was the pioneer National Secretary of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), led by the Owelle of Onitsha, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe during the second republic.
He was appointed minister in the government of President Shehu Shagari of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, in the spirit of the infamous NPN-NPP Accord.
An acclaimed orator, Unongo also aspired to govern Benue State in 1983 but lost to Aper Aku of blessed memory. He also lost to George Akume of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2003.
Unongo and some middle belt elites also championed the establishment of the multi-billion dollar Ajaokuta Steel Company in Kogi state.
He hailed from Jato Aka in Turan district of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.
Unongo was until his death in service to the nation as Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), a position he had been occupying since April 2018 when he was appointed by President Buhari.
He was also a former Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), in addition to the several other political positions he had held. He was a committed member of the 1977 constitutional conference and that of 1994/1995 which former military dictator, late General Sani Abacha, organised in Abuja.
In private capacity,Unongo founded Juladaco High School in Kassa, Plateau state; Julado Specialist Hospital and Juladaco Hotels in Katsina-Ala, Benue State; Juladaco Football Club and; Juladaco Express (a transport company).
Unongo, who was born on September 26, 1935, attended Government College, Keffi and obtained multiple degrees in Experimental Psychology from Canadian universities before returning to Nigeria in pioneer the Department of Psychology at the University of Lagos 9UNILAG).
He also served as Private Secretary to the former Military Governor of the defunct Benue-Plateau State, Col. JD Gomwalk before fully venturing into politic.