The sad memories of the killing of the wife of the Chairman/Managing Director of Tomline Industrial Company Ltd, Deaconess Edoowaye Bridget Sorae, who was shot on the 28 of August, 2011, by suspected kidnappers, was rekindled last Thursday October 27, 2011 when her remains were interred into Mother Earth in Benin City.

Four persons including Mrs Sorae was killed when the suspected kidnappers abducted Mr Sorae after the family returned from church that fateful day. Others who were killed in the Sunday mayhem included his two police orderlies and his driver.

Two other ladies in the house also received gunshot injuries. The incident which shocked the entire residents of Benin, created panic as to the real intention of the kidnappers particularly after the husband was abducted. Saturday Vanguard recalled that Governor Adams Oshiomhole personally visited the family after Mr Sorae was released by his abductors and he vowed that those involved in the dastard act must be apprehended.

Also, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state condemned the killing and called on the state government to urgently provide adequate support to security agencies in the state with a view to checking kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state.

However, it was wailing penultimate Thursday as friends and well wishers thronged the Textile Mill road resident of the Sorae’s to witness the burial which was conducted by the Christian community in the state. The state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Bishop of the Benin Diocese Anglican Communion, Bishop Peter Imasuen, who delivered the sermon, urged the children of the deceased to find solace in the fact that their mother lived a Godly life until death came.

Late Mrs Bridget

He urged them to “dedicate their lives to God following the shocking death of their mother”, adding that though the death was a painful one, man cannot question the will of God. The General Superintendent of the New Covenant Gospel Church, Dr Felix Omobude conducted the closing prayers and urged everyone to be closer to God.

Mr Sorae , a chieftain of the PDP in the state, spoke to newsmen shortly after the burial ceremony . He lamented the death of his wife, recalling the last moment with her. “Both of us were in the church. She did the praise and worship and the way she dressed that day- gorgeously. I had said, ‘Mama you are so beautiful this morning.’ She said we were going for another marriage, and in fact I continue to imagine what she meant by that. I think she had premonition of her death.

“But I thank God. Who am I to question God. So I just believe she has completed her race and when I will finish up, definitely I will join her. But on my own, I want to try as much as possible for the remaining time of my life to get closer to Him, to worship Him more than ever before. She has done what is humanly possible. I wish her farewell and I believe that she is already in the bosom of the Lord.

“I use this opportunity to advise other people who do not believe in God through this to get themselves seriously involved and serve God diligently and faithfully. The weather has been so bad since the past one week. Yesterday during the service of songs, the weather was so fine and today at the interment, the weather is cool too and I just believe that God who started a good thing in our lives and the life of my wife will end it well.”

The politician stressed the need “for government to provide job opportunities for everyone. “I have travelled to so many countries and I think Nigeria is one of the countries that I have seen that unemployment is very very high. I pray that government should look at this, that job opportunities should be provided so that insecurity will be reduced.

“Years ago, when we were still talking about colonialism, there was no unemployment of this magnitude. So, I think government should seriously look at this and also try as much as possible to work on corruption in our society. God has blessed us in many ways but the problem that is confronting this country is corruption and once they can put that out, I think we will march forward.”