FCT MINISTER LEADS TRIBUTES FOR LATE SENATOR BARINABA MPIGI

…SAYS HE WAS A RELIABLE AND DEPENDABLE POLITICIAN WHO LIVED A GOOD LIFE

By: Rabi Musa Umar and Wisdom Acka

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has paid a glowing tribute to the late Senator Barinada Mpigi, describing him as a rare breed of politician whose consistency and reliability were beyond reproach.

Speaking during a Night of Tributes held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, Barrister Wike reflected on a relationship spanning decades, dating back to their tenures as Local Government Council Chairmen in Rivers State.

The Minister emphasized that Senator Mpigi was a man of his word, a quality he noted is increasingly rare in the political landscape. “As a politician, I have seen people who are inconsistent. Barry was not that type. He will tell you what he will do and he will go ahead and do it. He is not a man that you will discuss with and you will be having double mind. He was a reliable politician whom you could count on”, the Minister stated.

Reflecting on the uncertainty of life, Barr Wike urged Nigerians to prioritise impact, adding that the deceased lived a good life. He said, “We do not know when the time will come. What matters is the impact we make while we are here. Barry lived a life that will be remembered”.

While lamenting that the Senator’s life was cut short, he assured the bereaved family of his continued support, promising that they would not be abandoned.

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed a strategic adjustment to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project to honour the late lawmaker’s legacy. Senator Umahi disclosed that the President directed a section of the highway to be re-routed to pass through Ogoniland as a mark of respect for the late Senator, who served as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works.

He described Mpigi as a national figure and a man of integrity whose passionate commitment to infrastructure was a source of encouragement to the Ministry.

Senator Umahi also highlighted the late Senator’s contributions to national development, specifically citing his pivotal role in establishing the University of Environment in Ogoniland.

In their separate tributes, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe representing the Cross River Senatorial District and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Kingsley Chinda stated that the late lawmaker had served his country with distinction and led a deeply fulfilled life.

In a moving sermon, titled “Death is Not the End”, the officiating Minister, Pastor Amos Okemuyiwa of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Region 10, reminded the gathering that death was an unavoidable appointment and a passage to another life. He urged those in attendance to examine their lives and live righteously, noting that there is life after death.

Pastor  Okemuyiwa offered prayers for the repose of the late Senator’s soul and for the Almighty to grant his family and the people of Rivers State the fortitude to bear the loss.

Born on June 22, 1961, in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, Senator Barinada Barry Mpigi was a distinguished lawmaker who represented the Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

The Night of Tributes for the departed statesman was attended by a broad spectrum of Nigeria’s political leadership, including the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Hon. Zaphaniah Jisalo, numerous serving and former members of the National Assembly, party leaders from both the PDP and APC, and senior officials of the FCT Administration.