Dr Alex Ekuweme, a former Vice President of Nigeria during the President Shehu Shagari Administration passed away on Sunday 19 November 2017 at a London clinic.

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 Dr Ekwueme was known as a great leader who advocated for peace all through his stay on the political terrain. He died at the age of 85.

Here are some quotes credited to the late leader.

1. Comparing Ghana with Nigeria, he said:

"Nigeria, as we speak now, is not a nation. Our neighbour, Ghana is a nation. There is a very big difference between a nation and a country.

 "In a nation, you have a sense of nationhood; in a country, you just have a sense of geographical space without a sense of nationhood."

2. He believed the government have a lot to do in ensuring the unity of the country, so he said:

"It is the role of the government to promote national integration.  National integration will not fall from the sky; it has to be worked very hard to have national integration. We have to work very hard at it.  It won't come as a gift."

3 "Corruption exists in every country and most human beings have the tendency of being corrupt if they think they will get away with it.  Corruption is low in America because it is difficult to get away with it.  They will track you down.

"A slight change in our jurisprudential  norms and promulgation of a Whistle-blowers Act will bring down corruption."

4. While speaking on how to get rid of corruption about the importance of the Igbo nation, "Igbo people were so industrious that Northerners were saying that after the white man, the next most important person created by God was Igbo

5. "The main problem of the Igbo today is lack of trust. If we can rebuild the trust among ourselves, our people will be better for it," Late Ekwueme on problems facing Igbos.

6.  Speaking with Premium times in 2013, he said he believed there is a conspiracy against Igbo presidency in Nigeria.

"It appears that there is a concerted effort to prevent a particular zone from achieving that purpose and it's not going to be a very healthy development for the country."

7. Speaking on how he wants to be remembered, he said "I will like to be remembered as someone who came into public office to render service and rendered that service selflessly,"