MAKURDI, Benue -                                          President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the Ivase family, entire people and government of Benue State on the passage of Second Republic Minister of Education, Chief (Mrs) Elizabeth Ivase, OON.

In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari said, “She [Ivase] was a distinguished educationist, grassroots mobiliser, opinion leader, epitome of humility and commitment to national unity and development.”

Noting that Ivase was a pacesetter in many respects not only in her state and northern Nigeria, but also the country in general, Buhari charged the current crop of politicians and the younger generation, especially women, to draw useful lessons from the late Mrs Ivase’s iron-will to excel by dint of hard work and perseverance.

“Indeed, her services to her community, nation and humanity especially, as advocate of girl-child education and female empowerment, will be remembered for a long time,” the President noted.

He prayed that God will comfort the grieving Ivase family, friends and associates of the late octogenarian, and rest her soul.

The late Mrs. Ivase was the first female appointed Minister from the northern part of the country.

She was born on August 8, 1936 in Gboko, Benue state.

The late icon served as Minister of Education in the second republic.

She died on July 13 in Abuja after a brief illness.