Elder statesman and former Minister of Steel Development in the Second Republic, Wantaregh Paul Unongo is dead.

A family source told DAILY ASSET last night on condition of anonymity that the octogenarian died yesterday after a brief illness at a hospital in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

“Yes Wantaregh Paul Unongo died today (yesterday), but I cannot say more than that because I am not authorised to do so.

The source his death is expected to be announced by the Tiv Traditional Council.

Born on September 26, 1935 in Turan, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue state, Wantaregh Unongo, belongs to the Kwaghngise-Anure-Abera ancestry.

In November 1958, young Unongo was employed as an Entries Clerk, by the prestigious Barclays Bank, DCO. Owing to his diligence, hard work and the positive encouragement of his British expatriate Manager, Mr. Naylor, Wantaregh Paul Unongo made rapid progress and attained the enviable rank of Acting sub-Accountant, usually reserved only for whites, in 1959. His banking job, although very attractive and rewarding at that time, for a young man, his innate desire to pursue higher education made him resigned to further his education.

He proceeded to the Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology Zaria, now Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in October 1959 for Two years Pre-Degree Programme; then referred to as Pre-Medicine, which was in fact Advanced Level GCE in Zoology, Physics and Chemistry and completed his course successfully in 1960. With the encouragement and partial assistance of the expatriate Chief Social Welfare Officer of Northern Nigeria, Douglas Green (a Canadian) Wantaregh got admission to Canada to study Experimental Psychology at the University of Calgary in Canada. He stayed for two years, and later transferred to the University of Alberta Edmonton, Canada, where he completed both his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Experimental Psychology, specializing in Human Experimental Psychopathology. He was subsequently offered a six (6) year scholarship by the North Regional Government to study at the University of London, “leading to a Ph.D in Psychology” in the UK University.

In 1968, 1969 and even 1970, while actively pursuing the psychological war aims of the country, Unongo still routinely lectured with the University of Lagos, and helped establish and consolidate the Department of Psychology and her degree awarding programme. At the end of the war in 1970, Unongo released his must read book: “Say It Loud We Are Black and Strong”, – a postmortem of the crisis, a real master piece on the Nigeria of his dream.

When General Murtala Muhammed was programming a transition to civilian rule in 1975, he selected 50 distinguished Nigerians to draft a befitting Constitution for Modern Nigeria. This task required dedicated, educated, experienced and versatile cream of Nigerians. The Military Government honoured Wantaregh as one of the “Fifty Wise Men”.

In recognition of his efforts, General Olusegun Obasanjo, the then Head of State found him worthy of National Honour as Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR).

Since then, Wantaregh has remained the delight of successive Administrations, acting freely, as Policy Adviser to different regimes.

Unongo, once again found himself a member of the 1994 Constitutional Conference where he served as Chairman of the States Creation Committee.

Unongo was honoured with the chieftaincy title of Wantaregh by the Tiv Traditional Council because his unapologetic demand of equal opportunity for the oppressed and the down trodden. Very erudite and outspoken, fearless by no mean measure, Wantaregh struggled to attain recognition for his people within the context of the evolving democratic space. He was a founding member of several political movements in Nigeria. Together with the likes of Dr. Tunji Otegbeyi, Solomon Daushep Lar, Chief Femi Okunno, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi and (together) with his role model, the Rt. Hon, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, they formed the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP) and he, became its pioneer Secretary General.

He became critical in the formation of the National Government spearheaded by the coming together of two political parties, NPN and NPP. This alliance took power from the Military, under President Shehu Shagari in 1979. His political sagacity earned him appointment as Minister of Mines and Steel Development from which he resigned on principle, seven months later. Ever after, Wantaregh has remained purposefully relevant in the affairs of governance.

His modest contribution to the socio-economic development of his people, is unparalleled.

He dedicated his entire life to service. He was an accomplished orator and intellectual with a corpus of scholarly works. Most notable are: Where Do We Go From Here? An Open Letter to the Tiv People of Nigeria. The Case for Nigeria, and Say it Loud, We are Black and Strong, Our Tiv Heritage: Iniongo I Iyou Mbi Hev (The Celebration of the Feast of New Yams).

Wantaregh Paul Unongo was a humanist, a great social critic, always taking sides with the weak and the poor, a social entrepreneur who has dedicated his life to uplifting the lives of the ordinary Nigerian through the incredible acts of practical philanthropism. He has established private schools and hospitals in rural areas and homes for the physically challenged, the very old, and the destitute in urban areas of Nigeria.

His business model was philanthropic enterprise, where goods and services are not geared towards profit but rather creating economic and livelihood opportunities for the poor, the dejected and the down trodden across the stretch of his immediate communities; thus he established schools, hospitals, markets, places of worship. His Paul Unongo Foundation has continued to provide succor for many dependents.

He lived a healthy, simple and successful family life, with many biological and adopted children, some of whom are outstanding in their own respective endeavours.

Realizing that uniting the vast North is a key to the stability of Nigeria, Wantaregh consciously committed to this crusade. He became a founding member and the Convener/Leader of the Northern Elders’ Forum. With forthrightness, his advocacy for unity, equity, fairness and peaceful coexistence amongst our diverse tribes and religions, brought about common ground for understanding and tolerance in this part of the country.