It was a moment of tears and glowing tributes as family members, friends, and well-wishers on Saturday gathered to bid farewell to the late Mama Comfort Omabonu Ogbeche, 83, mother of Evang. Ruth Atoo, staff of The Voice Newspaper, Makurdi.
The final journey home for the late matriarch began with a Service of Songs at St. John Catholic Church, Odudaje, in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.
Her remains had earlier been retrieved from St. Theresa Mortuary, Asa-Otukpo, and taken to her husband’s residence at Otada for a brief lying-in-state, before being conveyed to her paternal home at Odudaje for the funeral rites and interment.
In his homily, the officiating priest, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Ochai, described the late Mama Comfort as a virtuous mother who devoted her life to raising her children in the fear of God.
Fr. Ochai said she was a devout Catholic and an active member of the church both in Otada, where she lived after her marriage, and in her native Odudaje. He noted that she remained steadfast in her faith and service to the community even after the death of her husband, serving as a role model and mentor to other women.
“It will take a very long time to fill the vacuum left by Mama Comfort,” he said.
The cleric also used the occasion to admonish families against neglecting their aged parents, warning against labelling them as witches or wizards. He condemned the practice of abandoning parents to live in poverty and dilapidated homes, only for families to spend fortunes on elaborate burials after their death.
“It is unacceptable before God and humanity to let parents live in penury under leaking roofs, only to build new houses for them at burial which they could not enjoy while alive. We must change this attitude and show our parents love and kindness while they are still alive, just as they cared for us as children,” he said.
The wake and interment were attended by people from all walks of life.The late mama Comfort is survived by eight children and seventeen grandchildren.
