By ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA
It was a beehive of activity at St, Michael’s Catholic Church, Obotebe Town, in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State as dignitaries trooped in to condole with Hon. Akemotubo Amafini and Family during the funeral Mass / Burial reception in honour of their late mother, Late Mrs. Eugenia Onitsha Akemotubo (Nee Ebiarede) and the matriarch of the Akemotubo family.
The late Mrs. Akemotubo who died at the age of 78, was among other prominent Ijaw women that were resident at Burutu town that co-founded the Ebierebo-Ogbo Social Club of Burutu in 1978. She was also the patroness of the Nigerian Girls Guild at Burutu Local Government Chapter then.
SPADE NG NEWS. Com gathered that when she was alive, Mama, as she’s fondly called, baptized in the Catholic Faith and until her death a member of Catholic Women Organization (CWO), member of St, Anthony of Padua Society in the Catholic Church.
Apart from her recognition and called the First Lady, when her beloved husband, Late Emmanuel Hitler Akemotubo JP, became the Chairman of Burutu LGA in 1994, the late Mrs Eugenia Onitsha Akemotubo was a mother to all, the Political class, young and old in Burutu LGA and Warri axis before her death.
The Funeral Mass was officiated by Most Rev. Dr. Hyacinth Egbebo Bishop, Bomadi Diocese, Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Asigo, Parish Priest of St, Michael’s Catholic Church, Obotebe Town, Burutu LGA, Rev. Fr. Bruno Douglas Ogomu, Rev. Fr. Paul Preye Samson and others.
In his tribute to his mother, Hon. Amafini Akemotubo, who is the Senior Special Assistant to Delta State Governor, Office of the Deputy Governor, noted that “Death, they say, is inevitable but I truly wish that you were still with us. The pain of your departure at this time is inexplicable and the vacuum that your demise has created in my life is very immense”.
“May Almighty God enable us to always uphold your legacies till we meet again in Heaven”. The SSA Protocol to Dcn Kingsley Otuaro added.
The Deputy Governor of Delta State, Dcn Kingsley Burutu Otuaro in his tributes said, “The Life of Mama Eugenia Akemotubo held the riveting story of triumph of faith in Almighty God exercised through diligent works. A wife truly at one with her husband, the legendary Chief E. H Akemotubo JP, erstwhile Chairman, Burutu LGA.
“On losing her husband to death decades ago, Mama, who rose to her full stature and nutured her 7 children to great educational heights thought impossible, mentored on hard work, discipline, self reliance, peace with neighbours and above all, fear of God, which today resonates beyond the extended ‘Akemotubu Nation’s of children and relatives graciously harbored to whom she distributed her avuncular goodwill in prodigious measures”.
Otuaro, who also gave the vote of thanks at the Funeral Ceremony, said “the entire people of Obotebe, Ekogbene, and the rest of us would do better service to the memory of the erstwhile First Lady of Burutu LGA, by taking heart and bearing the torch of God illuminate our paths”.
Otuaro’s entrance to the burial reception venue in company of Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi, Member representing Warri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Delta State Commissioner for Oil&Gas Hon. Prince Emmanuel Amgbaduba and other top Government functionaries was like a Political rally as voices were shouting and hailing “Kingsley Otuaro welcome home” right from the Jetty where his speed boat anchored for him to alight.
For Prince Emmanuel Amgbaduba, the Commissioner for Oil & Gas, the news of Mama Eugenia Akemotubo’s death was shocking and hitted him like a punch of 50kg.
Amgbaduba, who prayed God to give the entire family of Akemotubo the fortitude to bear the loss of their matriarch, said they will surely miss her wisdom, teachings and her motherly care.
Others present at the Funeral Mass were Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, Member representing Warri Southwest in Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Solomon Fukekeme, Senior Political Adviser to Gov Okowa, Deputy Chief of Staff to the State Government Hon. Dr. Engr. Jude Sinebe, Chairman of Warri Southwest LGA and his councilors, Chief Tunde Smooth, the Buluo Owei of Niger Delta, Hon. Julius Takeme, Chairman of PDP Delta South Senatorial District, clergymen, among others.