God’s Taken Her To Better Place, Fubara Tells Beredugo

● Donates N50 million to Cathedral of St. Luke, Nembe

By PHC Telegraph

“We live in a corrupt world”, Governor Siminalayi Fubara said in Bayelsa State while speaking on Thursday during a memorial service at the Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, Nembe.

“When you are a saint”, the Governor continued, “when it pleases the Almighty and He believes that He doesn’t want you to be corrupted, He takes away the soul to a better place where death is no more, where you don’t have to look for food again, where you have peace.”

Fubara extolled the motherly virtues of late Mama Ayebadieye Edward Igbeta, urging Jacob Beredugo, his Principal Secretary and his siblings not to deviate from the valuable lessons she had taught them.

Late Mama Ayebadieye Edward Igbeta was aged 79 years.

The Rivers Governor described Beredugo as a brother, a trusted ally and key stakeholder in his administration, and urged him to bear the loss with fortitude.

He declared,  “We are here as a government to show that in this difficult time we stand with him.

“We know that there is no consolation here that can fill the gap of this loss, more especially the loss of a mother.

“But, we want to draw his mind to the good Book: that it is the Lord that giveth, and it is also the Lord that taketh. And he takes for a reason.”

Fubara emphasized that mama had returned to a place where there is neither sorrow, want nor pain, insisting the Lord had “taken her to  a better place” in the heavenly realm.

Turning attention to the church, Governor Fubara lamented the state of the cathedral and vowed that in memory of late Mama Ayebadieye Edward Igbeta, the Rivers State Government would ensure the completion of the Cathedral.

“We have been made to understand that the Cathedral needs strong support”, the Rivers strongman remarked.

“We are willing to support the completion of the Cathedral. We will support the building in memory of Mama with the sum of N50 million”, he added.

Delivering the sermon entitled, “Hope in the face of death”, Bishop of the Diocese of Western Izon, Rt. Rev. Victor Okporu, admonished members of the congregation,  reminding them of the need to believe in Jesus Christ even as they confidently expect a positive future.

He also said those who seek the face of God must be persons who are willing to repent from their sin, and and persons who are prepared to spend eternity with the Son of Man.

Reading the biography of the late Madam Ayebadieye Edward-Igbeta, brother of the deceased, Mr Godwin Ekine, said his late sister was an embodiment of love and care.

He referred to the late woman as a peaceful and kind-hearted person who touched lots of lives around her through her generosity and compassion.

Friends and well-wishers from Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta states, some of whom shared memories of the late matriarch, were later hosted to a funeral reception at King Koko’s Square in Nembe Town.

Also at the burial were the State Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu; Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Victor Oko-Jumbo; the member who is representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon Boniface Emerengwa; and Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr Edison Ehie.