Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State and his Plateau counterpart, Caleb Mutfwang, were among the top dignitaries who were in Lafia, the state capital, to pay their last respect to late Sen. Godiya Akwashiki.
Senator Akwashiki, who represented Nasarawa North at the National Assembly, died on 31st December 2025 in an Indian hospital at the age of 52 after a prolonged illness.
He was buried at his residence in Lafia on Saturday, January 17.
Speaking at the requiem mass held at St. William’s Catholic Cathedral in Lafia, on behalf of the Nigerian legislature, Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Jibrin Barau, described late Sen. Akwashiki as a rare breed of patriots, servant-leader and committed supporter of national unity and stability.
Sen Barau said that the Nigerian Senate would greatly miss the positive contributions to the service of the nation.
Also speaking, Governor Sule admonished politicians to instil the habit of forgiveness of one another, reminding them that death was inevitable.
He urged the bereaved family to take solace in the will of God, urging the congregation to unite and to continue to remember the good deeds of the legislator.
In his homily, the Catholic Archbishop of Jos, His Grace, Rev Dr Matthew Ishaya Audu, described Akwashiki as a true Christian, grassroots politician and illustrious Nigerian, reminding sympathisers that death was inevitable.
He urged Christians to imbibe the virtues of humility, commitment and be prayerfulness all times and to be close to God.
Archbishop Audu urges Nigerian politicians to always see leadership as a sacred call and not a business enterprise, and calls on them to see righteousness as a divine call.
Speaking on behalf of the bereaved family, the paramount ruler of the Eggon nation, Aren Eggon, Ahmed Ubangari, thanked the sympathisers for standing by them at these difficult times.
The requiem mass was attended by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Senate Minority Leader, Sen Abba Moro, National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prof. Sadiq Umar, Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Dr Danladi Jatau, traditional rulers, political associates, among hundreds of other sympathisers within and outside the state.
New Telegraph reports that late Sen. Godiya Akwashiki was buried at his residence in Lafia amidst tears and eulogies among sympathisers that graced the burial.
