All activities at the National Assembly especially the Senate were put to a halt to enable the Senators respect their own, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health who died July 8.
Meanwhile the wife of the late Senator, Mrs Hannatu Dantong who led her children to the Senate Chambers, could not hold herself during the procession when she stood for well over five minutes at 1.05 gazing into the casket where her late husband’s body was kept and the lifeless face looking into the sky. She dressed in white.
The Procession to pay last respect after the plenary session was led by the Senate President, followed by the Deputy, Deputy Speaker, then the Leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives; the Senators; members of the lower House; the Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang; Mrs Dantong; Senator Ibrahim Mantu; Dantong’s parents; former Senators; wives of the senators among others.
The plateau State governor, Jonah Jang was however solemn like every other person who was at the session.
After one minute silence for the late Senator, Senate President Mark read out the list of the delegation of the upper chamber with the Minority leader, Senator Ganiyu Solomon , ACN, Lagos West leading the team. Other members are Senators Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta; Chris Ngige, Anambra; Esther Usman Nenadi, Kaduna; Smart Adeyemi, Kogi; Clever Ikisikpo, Bayelsa; Emmanuel Bwacha, Taraba; Ahmed Lawan, Yobe and Mohammed Sani Saleh, Kaduna.
Speaking further, Senator Mark stressed that the Senator’s death will be in vain if the people of the state cannot give him the respect by working together, adding, ‘’having paid this supreme sacrifice, his death must not be in vain. Peace must now return to Plateau State. If peace does not return to Plateau State then his death would have been in vain.
‘’For the sake of late Senator Dantong and all those who have lost their lives in Plateau State, I urge all warring parties to sheath their swords and return to dialogue like brothers and sisters.
‘’Most people who knew Dantong were inspired by his love for his people. In one brief moment, his mission in this finite world came to an end, and our own life without him has begun. Everything about him was centred on caring for others. He made us, his colleagues and friends, to understand that the joys and sorrows of others were also our own. He was truly his brother’s keeper.
‘’The only way we can honour this distinguished gentleman of peace is by taking up the lessons of his life. Dantong put in all he had to bridge the gap between Muslims and Christians. During one of the crises, he was nearly killed at a mosque when he tried to broker peace. His life was an emblem of humility, determination, courage, resourcefulness, self-sacrifice and devotion to his Creator. He sought to bring peace and unity to Plateau State in particular and Nigeria in general.”
Senator Mark whose presentation was tagged, ‘’the Passing of the People’s Hero, said “Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses. He sets the time for birth and the time for death. He sets the time for sorrow and the time for joy. There is the time for silence and the time for talk. There is the time for war and the time for peace. There is the time for mourning and there is the time for dancing. We must all die – wise and foolish alike.” Today we say goodbye to Senator Gyang Dalyop Dantong. Many of Dantong’s friends and relatives are here. Even in death, he continues to be a uniting factor and a shining example of model leadership. He was a man who had the capacity to make the best out of life, and he did just that. In the brief years that he acted on life’s mortal stage, he played his roles exceedingly well. As a husband, father, senator, medical doctor and Chairman Senate Committee on Health, he distinguished himself as a lover of peace, humanity, unity and progress.
VANGUARD
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