Cross River State governor, Bassey Edet Otu, has paid a glowing tribute to former senator, Florence Ita-Giwa, on the occasion of her 80th birthday, describing her as “a lighthouse upon our political shore and a matriarch whose courage has shaped the destiny of our people.”
In a richly worded felicitation release by his Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media, Linus Obogo, Governor Otu extolled Ita-Giwa’s decades of public service and national relevance.
He said the celebrant’s journey through Nigeria’s political landscape remains “a testament to resilience forged in conviction and refined by sacrifice.” According to him, “From the House of Representatives to the Senate chambers, you walked the high corridors of duty with regal steadiness, bearing Cross River on your shoulders with grace and steel.”
Recalling her pivotal involvement in Bakassi affairs, the governor noted that the title “Mama Bakassi” was earned through steadfast advocacy rather than ceremony. “That name is not ornamental,” Otu declared. “It is a covenant of loyalty to a displaced and distressed people. It speaks of sacrifice, presence and uncommon empathy in turbulent times.”
He further highlighted her role in national assignments, including her service in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters. “To be called into the inner sanctum of national governance is itself an acknowledgment of competence,” Otu stated. “She carried Cross River’s dignity into the very heart of the federation.”
The governor also praised Ita-Giwa’s legislative contributions, particularly her work on committees spanning environment, foreign affairs, women’s affairs and the Niger Delta. “Her voice was never provincial,” he said. “It was national in resonance, yet deeply rooted in the soil of Cross River.”
Speaking on her advocacy against human trafficking and exploitation, Otu described her as “a moral sentinel in defence of womanhood and vulnerable lives.” He added: “In confronting such evils, she demonstrated that leadership is not merely about lawmaking, but about conscience.”
Governor Otu referenced the national honours bestowed on the former senator, including the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), saying they “reflect a life that has consistently answered the call to serve.” He described the awards as “symbols of a nation’s gratitude to one of its steadfast daughters.”
Otu prayed for renewed strength and enduring legacy for the celebrant. “May the Almighty renew your vigour like the eagle’s and grant you many more years of impact,” he said. “Cross River stands taller because Florence Ita-Giwa was born. Today, we celebrate not just her age, but her indelible imprint on history.”
