Mark, PDP, IYC, others pay condolences

By Samuel Oyadongha, Jimitota Onoyume & Joseph Erunke

Yenagoa—First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, was yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, to commiserate with the families of Bayelsans who lost their lives in Saturday’s tragic road accident along the Ahaoda axis of the East-West Road in Rivers State.

Dame Jonathan prayed with the families for God to be with them in their grief and asked God to give everyone, including herself the fortitude to bear the loss.

She described the women as her friends and sisters.

Dame Jonathan, who made a surprise appearance in Yenagoa, visited each of the families and commiserated with them over the loss of their loved ones.

Those who lost their lives in the accident and whose homes were visited, include a former member of Bayelsa State House of Assembly and former Special Adviser to Governor Seriake Dickson on Women Mobilisation, Mrs. Ruby Benjamin, a former Permanent Secretary, Mrs Acha Perekalama, former Commissioner for Women Affairs and Development, Gimbra Pamowei, wife of the Secretary to Bayelsa State Government, Mrs Alison Edmund Oguru; wife of Bayelsa Broadcasting Corporation Glory FM Accountant, Mrs Ayakpo Otolo, Mrs Consider Amadi, Mrs Clara Abila, among others.

The visibly sad First Lady was accompanied on the visit by the wife of the first civilian governor of the state, Mrs. Margaret Alamieyeseigha, former Transport Commissioner, Mrs Marie Ebikake, former Special Adviser to Governor Seriake Dickson on Special Projects, Mrs Remi Kuku and others.

Dame Jonathan, clad in black, arrived the Otolos’ residence on Azikoro Road in the Ekeki suburb of Yenagoa at 1.20p.m., to meet an army of sympathisers where she spent about 40 minutes with the family before proceeding to other bereaved families.

Meanwhile, Senate President, David Mark, yesterday, joined other sympathisers to commiserate with President Goodluck Jonathan and the government and people of Bayelsa State over the death of prominent women in the state.

Senator Mark, in a condolence message, regretted that the women died in their prime and at a time when their productive hands were needed to solve the socio-economic and political problems facing the nation.

He said the women died in active service to the nation and should be accorded such honour.

Similarly, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, yesterday described the tragic accident as a dark day in the history of Ijaw nation.

Its spokesman, Eric Omare in a statement, prayed God to grant the families the fortitude to bear the irreparable losses.

Chairman, Media and Publicity of the PDP Campaign Organisation in the state, Mr Okah, added, “We pray God to grant eternal rest to the souls of the deceased and give the bereaved families the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”

The only female member of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mrs Agatha Goma, representing Ekeremor constituency I, condoled with the families of the prominent women from the state, who died in the car crash.

Goma said the pain of an untimely death is immeasurable, adding that she received the news of the death of her sister and former Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Gimbra Pamowei, a former colleague in the State House of Assembly, Mrs Ruby Benjamin and the wife of the Secretary to State Government, Mrs Elizabeth Allison-Oguru.