Friday, October 20, 2023 would remain a day of ash in the lives of veteran Abuja journalist and Associate Editor of the Vanguard newspaper, Mr. Henry Umoru, his family and friends as they watched and saw his beloved mother and wife buried minutes apart.
Below is the narration of the events as told by Victorson Agbenson, an OAP and staff of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN:
Friends, colleagues and family members of an associate political editor with Vanguard Newspaper Mr.Henry Umoru have trooped out to join him in laying his mother , Mrs Celestina Aboda and wife, Mrs Bridget Umoru to rest at Ikpeshi in Edo state.
In an uncommon mix of hard luck and pain, the mother of Mr Henry Umoru, Mrs Celestina Ogbakhena Aboda died after a brief illness on the 26th of September 2023, at the age of 75.
As Henry and family members were still mourning, his wife, who is a staff of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Mrs Bridget Umoru also gave up the ghost after a brief illness at the age of 46.
The family therefore decided to lay both of them to rest on the same day at Henry Umoru’s home town, Ikpeshi in Akoko Edo Local Government area of Edo state.
Before then, a service of songs was held at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church, Sabon Lugbe, Abuja mainly for Mrs Bridget Umoru.
At the service, Mr. Morobo Desmond – Dan, a brother to Mr. Umoru described the late Bridget as a woman of peace.
“She was a very peaceful woman, even when you are the one who offended her or she offended you, she will come and tell you , sorry, please don’t be angry”.
A close confident of Mr. Umoru, a former General Manager of Benue Printing and Publishing Company, Mr. Ben Agande said the late Bridget was a supporting wife who would be sorely missed.
“She was indeed a highly supportive wife to my friend. Henry and I have known for over thirty years and I know them very well, I just don’t know how my friend would cope without her. I’m really afraid”.
A Deputy Director and colleague of the late Bridget at the department of Corporate Development and Communications, CD&C of FRCN, Mrs. Onyinye Orji Kalu who spoke on behalf of the Corporation, prayed God to console her loved ones.
“We cannot question God indeed. May her beautiful sould rest in peace”
For a former chairman of the FCT Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, and Editor in Chief of Forefront Magazine, Mr. Amos Duniya, the circumstances required that Mr Umoru should brace up as a man.
“This is indeed sad and devastating. I can’t imagine my close friend and confidant, Henry Umoru losing his wife and mother within less than 24 hours. Very painful, but we would try and see how we can encourage him to overcome. He will surely overcome by God’s grace”
Amidst singing of hymns such as ‘fading away like the starts of the morning’, ‘ it is well’ and Bible reading in the rich Catholic tradition and ambience, the Presiding Priest, John Adimula encouraged the faithful with the biblical hope of evalasting life in Christ Jesus.
Henry Umoru while expressing appreciation to the people for the love and support shown to him since the tragic loses, said “if it was the visitations, prayers and support, my lovely wife would not have died. This show of love has made me to vow that I will serve God more than ever!”
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