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By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
A renowned political activist in Delta State, Comr. Efe Festus Obokohwemu, has described his mother, late Mrs. Esther Akpuruwhweru Obokohwemu, nee Emasidoghor, as a mother who also played the role of father in the upbringing of her children.
Comr. Obokohwemu made this remark as tribute to his late mother during the final funeral rites accorded her on December 9, 2022 at her home town, Unenurhie community, in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The funeral which brought together late Mrs. Esther’s children, family members, in-laws and guests from across the country began with a service held at St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Unenurhie with the church’s Women’s Guild in full participation.
After the service, the body was committed to Mother Earth according to the doctrines of the Anglican Church, with the officiating cleric calling on the children of the deceased to always hold on to service to God and humanity as their late mother did while on earth. The clergy also advised the children to shun hatred and enmity amongst themselves in order to build on the virtues and fine legacies of their late mother.
Speaking with our correspondent after the interment, one of the sons of the deceased, Comr. Efe Festus Obokohwemu, thanked the clergy and members of the church especially the Women’s Guild of St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Unenurhie for their prayers, support and physical presence at all the funeral activities and honour accorded their late mother.
“On behalf of my siblings and family members, I want to express my appreciation to the clergy and members of St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Unenurhie especially the Women’s Guild of the church for the huge support and contributions they made on the success of the burial of our late mother. I’m also grateful to my church members in particular and to all our invited guests present here today.”
Speaking further, he said, “As part of my tribute to my late mother, I want to describe her as a mother who had taken the position and played the role of a father to us, her children immediately we lost our father many years ago when we were still very young.
“She combined the roles of a father and that of a mother in our upbringing, and even until she breathed her last. She was responsible for our feeding, clothing and most important, our education and well being. She laboured so hard to cater for our educational needs and to also make us responsible people in our daily lives in the community.
“It’s never easy for most women of today to bear such parental tasks after divorce or death of their husbands. My mother’s death is very painful to me and to my siblings because she couldn’t enjoy the fruits of her labour from us the way we wished her. Well, the Almighty God knows the best. May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace until we meet to part no more,” he said.
The reception held after the interment ended with the spraying of naira currency notes on the foreheads of the children by guests as is the usual social practice of both the Urhobo and Isoko people of Delta State as “a way of cleansing tears from the faces of children of the late mother.”
Late Mrs. Esther Akpuruwhweru Obokohwemu, aged 67, is survived by six children, three son in-laws and many family members.
