The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday described the death of the anti-apartheid stalwart, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as a great loss to Africa.
Madikizela-Mandela, who ex-wife to the late South African President Nelson Mandela, died on Monday at a private hospital in Johannesburg at 81.
The lawmakers mourned the passing away of the freedom fighter following a report by Mr Olumuyiwa Jimoh, the Deputy Majority Leader of the Assembly on the floor of the House.
Jimoh, who noted that Madikizela-Mandela was a hero, said she stood solidly behind her husband, late Nelson Mandela in the fight against apartheid in the country.
He said that the House owed it a duty to condole with the people of South Africa through the country’s embassy in Nigeria.
“Winnie Mandela was also in prison during the struggle for the emancipation of the people of South Africa from apartheid.
“It is important for us to observe a minute silence in honour of Winnie and condole with the people of South Africa over her death,”the deputy majority leader said.
In his contribution, Prince Bisi Yusuff, representing Alimosho Constituency II in the House said: “It is important to mourn late Winnie who made womanhood to be virtuous”.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa described late Winnie Mandela as a loyal woman to her husband and their political party, Africa National Congress (ANC).
Obasa urged women not to take the back seat in the scheme of things, when it comes to the issue of freedom.
He directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Azeez Sanni to write a letter of condolence to the people of South Africa through their embassy, saying that “the woman was a role model to all women”.
Meanwhile, on the 66th Birthday of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu, the speaker said it was important for the House to celebrate him.
Obasa, who noted that celebrating the APC National Leader had become a tradition in the House, threw the floor open for members to celebrate the former governor of the state.
Mr Tunde Braimoh, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, said Tinubu was the architect of modern democracy in Nigeria.
Braimoh, representing Kosofe Constituency II in the House added that Tinubu laid the foundation for the progress being enjoyed in Lagos State through the successive governors of the state.
According to him, people troop to the venue of Tinubu’s Colloquium every year to celebrate him.
He described the topic of this year’s edition; “Investing in People,” as apt.
The lawmakers, who took turns to eulogise Tinubu, described him as a man with a large heart, a crisis manager, a man of substance and an enigma that has trodden a path of honour.
Obasa also directed Sanni to write a letter to Tinubu on behalf of the House to congratulate him on his 66th birthday.
The lawmakers later cut a birthday cake in honour of Tinubu.
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