Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
Former Edo State Governor and Edo North Senator elect, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has described the sad news of the death of Nigeria’s first female senator, Franca Afegbua as very painful as he was looking forward to meeting her, as part of a planned interaction with prominent past occupants of the seat to which he has just recently been elected.
Recall that Princess Afegbua died on Sunday, March 12, 2023 at the age of 79.
She was married to the late Senator Joseph Tarka a Tiv from Benue State and was born in 1944 in Kaduna, Northern Nigeria.
In a statement Monday by his Chief Media aide, Mr. Victor Oshioke, the immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who expressed deep sadness over the passing of Afegbua, remarked that by her historic election as Senator representing Bendel North in 1983, Senator Afegbua broke the glass ceiling and opened the window for other women to rise and aspire to the highest legislative office in the land.
Comrade Oshiomhole said that the Bulgarian educated princess from the Afegbua Royal Family of Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State was a trendsetter in fashion, a trailblazer in politics, a quintessential activist, and a courageous woman of substance.
According to him: “Despite the fact that the military cut short her tenure at the red chambers of the National Assembly, she was until her death celebrated for her pioneering role in championing agitations for affirmative action, to enable more women get into the legislature and her productive engagement with youths in her constituency.
“Even when she was no longer a regular face on newspaper pages and television screens, she continued to impact positively in the lives of people within her immediate community. She remained a mentor and inspiration to many of the great women in politics today.”
The ex-governor continued: ‘On behalf of my family, I extend our sincere condolences to the Afegbua family of Okpella Kingdom, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State and the entire Nigerian political class, for this irreplaceable loss.”