From Mike Tayese Yenagoa

It was a gathering of who is who in Nigeria over the weekend in Kolo Town in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa state when a lawyer turned engineer, Barr. Azibaola Robert who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Zeetin Engineering bury his mother in-law who died at age of 81.

The burial turned carnival started on Thursday with Service Of Song at her residence while Friday was the burial service by New Life Baptist Church, Kolo 3 at the Kolo Primary School Field while interment followed at her residence and another Christian Wake-Keep followed that same evening. On Saturday was a cultural Dance by the popular (Egbelegbele Dance of Amassoma) followed by what they called Oba( Storytelling) while on Sunday was open air Thanksgiving Service and was immediately followed by Tug-Of-War which had 16 Communities in participation. In his tribute to his late mother in-law, Barr. Azibaola Robert described Mama Ego Emesua as a woman of faith, her faith was a guiding light in her life and a source of strength that influence everyone around her. Mama lived by the principle of kindness, compassion and forgiveness, reflecting the teaching she held dear. She had an unwavering trust in God that served as an inspiration to us all. Mama was a woman of extraordinary memory, she was a treasure trove of experiences with many vivid stories that she shared with warmth and enthusiasm. A bastion of tranquility within and without, with a soothing demeanour of calmness that brought peaceful atmosphere to us in every room she entered. There was never a moment of chaos  with her or in her presence. My family owed her everlasting gratitude for a testament of the peace she carried in her heart. Mama was a masterful storyteller. The art of storytelling was woven into the fabric of her being. Each tale she told was to serve a purpose, impacting wisdom, sharing joy, or simply connecting hearts. In a world that often measures  love by grand expectations, mama was a quiet, undemanding and unblemished. She showered us  with affection in the simplest acts, a warm smile, a comforting touch, or a kind words. Today, tomorrow and ever, reflect on the life of this extraordinary woman, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, unalloyed loving in-law. We now have a duty to carry forward the legacy of her love,peace of heart and faith. While thanking former president Goodluck Jonathan, Azibaola Robert said, Jonathan could be likened to God in Nigeria and the entire African continent.

Former president Jonathan was among top dignitaries that graced the occasion of the obsequious ceremonies of the late octogenarian mother-in-law, the late Ma. Egoyinbo Ayebatari Joyce Emesua. He described Jonathan as peaceful to a fault, noting that the ex-Nigerian leader was a pacesetter in peaceful transition of political power in Africa. Aziboala Robert a BAYELSA innovator is pioneering the manufacturing of Nigeria’s maiden electric cars and other automobile components in Africa through his Zeetin Engineering, a firm located in the nation’s seat of power, Abuja.The late ma. Egoyinbo Emesua  passed on at the age of 81. Shortly after the interment of the late octogenarian, Robert urged the people of Ogbia, the former President’s kinsmen to continually thank and appreciate God for enabling them produce and have Jonathan as a former President of the nation who is from their tribe, noting that the ex-President’s  name opens doors for people. He said: “Jonathan is like god to Nigeria and the entire African continent because of his peaceful and the enduring legacies he left behind as former president of this nation, especially pioneering peaceful transition of political power in Africa.”Goodluck Jonathan’s name opens doors for us as a people. If they don’t know us as a tribe in Nigeria, for example when you tell anyone that you’re from former President Jonathan’s tribe, ‘Ogbia’ doors are instantly opened for you.

“Even after leaving office he still continued to preach peace in Africa and beyond. I see God taking him to higher places in the future. Something tells me that God isn’t done yet with the former president Goodluck Jonathan”. Similarly, the Zeetin Engineering MD/CEO,  described his late mother-in-law as the best any son-in-law could have.

He noted that his late mother-in-law during her life time was contented with whatever she had, saying that her fear of God, humility and industrious lifestyle had specifically endeared her to him and all those who came in contact with her while alive. Am not buryring her as my Mother-In-Law but am buryring as Mother. Am the son she didn’t had because she had four Girls and my also gave me four girls. It doesn’t matter whether you have boy child or girl Child, the most important in life is to trained them and make them responsible in life. Women are great all over the world and they gradually taken over every field of discipline. Women are more trustworthy when you give them responsibility. In his exhortation, the officiating guest clergy, Rev. Nwosu C.A, of the Victory Baptist Church, Obinze, Owerri, Imo state taking his account from the book of Philippians 3:12-21 described the ‘living’ as strangers in the world.

He warned that people should be mindful of how they live and treat each other, saying that after death, all would give account of how their lives were spent in the  world they live in, hence people should be cautious of their behaviours while still alive to avoid the wrath of God at eternity.