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My name is Chinedu, I will not die from this sickness – Ossy Prestige
BY KAZIE UKO
Minority Leader of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, has given a riveting account of how fellow House member, Hon. Ossy Prestige, struggled to live but finally succumbed to the cold hands of death, following a mystery sickness.
Prestige represented Aba North and South Federal Constituency of Abia State, on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He was a member of the eighth session of the National Assembly and was serving his second term with the ninth assembly, having won a re-election in 2019.
Elumelu, a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), representing Aniocha North/Aniocha South/Oshimili North/Oshimili South constituency, speaking at the valedictory session in honour of late Prestige on Tuesday, said the beloved lawmaker from Abia State, was optimistic and pleaded to be alive.
“He told me, ‘My name is Chinedu, my God is leading me, and I will not die from this sickness’. But today, here we are,” Elumelu told a mourning House.
READ: Abia lawmaker Ossy Prestige dies in Germany
The lawmaker gave a vivid account of what eventually became his last moment with Hon. Prestige, whom all the speakers on floor of the House described as a true honourable member who not only contributed effectively to the National Assembly in the various committees he served, but worked to deliver democracy dividends for his constituency.
He said: “Ossy Prestige begged life; Ossy Prestige pleaded with death for him to live. He told me that he cannot withstanding leaving his wife and children. Ossy Prestige made everything possible to see that he survived this sickness, and how?
“During the pandemic (COVID-19 lockdown in Nigeria), the attack came. Ossy had to survive everything possible to catch an aircraft to be in London. Even in the aircraft, he suffered that same pain of vomiting every time in the plane but he kept telling me, ‘I was doing this for my family, I was doing this for the people of Aba North and Aba South’.
“He needed to be alive to fulfil his promise to his wife that he would live till old age and to his children that he has now left that he needed to give them quality education.
READ: Otti says lawmaker’s death robs Abia people quality representation
“In one of my visits, I wept but I didn’t want him to see me because I could see a man who was in great pain.
“Ossy pleaded life and Madam (turning to Prestige’s wife), Ossy loved you; Ossy loved his children. He wanted to be alive.
“He didn’t stop at that, he told me that it appeared this (sickness) is very spiritual, which, Madam, you know, that we should involve pastors. There was nothing we didn’t do. We prayed for Ossy to survive this sickness.”
Elumelu described his late colleague as an entrepreneur and business-minded man who made the most of his God-given talent to raise and mentor others who crossed his path.
“Once he threw his hat into the ring of public service as a politician, he worked hard for the good of the people of Aba North and South Federal Constituency of Abia State, within the confines of the laws in the House of Representatives,” the House Minority Leader said.