TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE, UPON THE PASSING OF RETIRED SERGEANT MAJOR BEDE ANYAELEZU NTIASAGWE OF THE NIGERIAN ARMY, AND TO EXTEND THEIR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS LOVING FAMILY AND HIS MANY FRIENDS.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate were saddened to learn of the death of retired Sergeant Major Bede Ntiasagwe of the Nigerian Army in January of 2018; and

Whereas, born in 1925 in a small town in eastern Nigeria known as Amaimo in the State of Imo, he was reared by his godfather after the death of his father when he was only eight years old; and

Whereas, in spite of his humble circumstances, Mr. Ntiasagwe graduated first in his high school class and left home to join the military where he served as an instructor in the Signal Branch of the Nigerian Army for thirty-two years; and

Whereas, he retired at the rank of Sergeant Major and was recognized seventeen times as Military Officer of the Year in the course of his distinguished career. After his military retirement, he served as a director of operations for a shipping company until he completely retired in 1998; and

Whereas, upon completion of his officers' training in Kaduna Military Academy, he met his beloved wife, Rose Ezenwanyi Ntiasagwe. They were devotedly married for fifty-four years before her death at the age of eighty-one on January 6, 2011; and

Whereas, together Mr. and Mrs. Ntiasagwe reared four fine children, three boys and one girl. After the death of his wife, Mr. Ntiasagwe became sick and blind, and his children feared the loss of their father within a year of their mother's death, Innocent Okechukwu Ntiasagwe, their second son, who lives in South Carolina, sought a visa for his father to receive medical treatment in Columbia; and

Whereas, the United States government granted the visa, and with the fine medical care Mr. Ntiasagwe received from the team of physicians who treated him, he regained his health and after three years of living in complete darkness, he was able to see again; and

Whereas, the joy of seeing his grandchildren so thrilled him that he could not keep his eyes off them, and the joy that his children had in having their father living and healthy filled them with the deepest gratitude to the United States of America for granting his visa; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate are grateful for the life and legacy of Bede Ntiasagwe, a life filled with delightful and earnest candor, and for the example of service and humility he set for all who knew him. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, express their profound sorrow, upon the passing of retired Sergeant Major Bede Anyaelezu Ntiasagwe of the Nigerian Army, and extend their deepest sympathy to his loving family and his many friends.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family of retired Sergeant Major Bede Anyaelezu Ntiasagwe of the Nigerian Army.