By Adeyinka Adeniran
Dignitaries from all walks of life on Friday stormed Kasumu Village, Egbeda local government area of Oyo state to pay glowing tributes and eulogies to the scion of Wale Oke family, Mama Elizabeth Oke, who was laid to rest amidst fanfare.
The deceased who passed at the age of 97years is the mither of the Presiding Bishop, Sword of the Spirit Ministry, Francis Wale Oke.
The dignitaries including Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo) who was represented by his Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Corporative, Pastor Olusegun Aiyedun, a former governor of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel, a former Military administrator of Ondo and Oyo state, Major General Oladayo Popoola (rtd), Oyo Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, and top government functionaries from Oyo state.
Others were the National President of Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel, National Vice President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), John Praise, Oyo CAN Chiarman, Apostle Joshua Akinyemiju, Oyo PFN Chairman, Reverend Samson Ajetomobi, Primate Emeritus Sunday Akinmakinde,Evangelist Bola Are among others.
Delivering his short sermon at the service which held at the James Oke Memorial Anglican Chiurch, the Bishop of Ibadan North Anglican Diocese, Dr Williams Aladekugbe lauded the worthy virtues of the deceased, noting that each individual will bear the responsibilities for their actions, inactions, and the privileges they have received while on earth.
Drawing from the biblical tale of Lazarus and the rich man, Bishop Aladekugbe described what the judgment day will look like, where all will stand before Christ to give an account of their lives.
Regardless of status or circumstance, he reminded the congregation that the world’s unrest serves as a reminder of life’s impermanence. He instilled hope by assuring that death, for believers, is not the end but rather a transition to a realm of eternal bliss prepared by Christ himself, saying “death, is far from being a conclusion, but marks the beginning of a glorious resurrect for the believers.”
In his remarks, Governor Makinde said the occasion was not to mourn but celebrate th4 virtuous life the deceased lived, going by the children she raised.
He said “This is not time to mourn, it is time to celebrate a life well spent, it is time to celebrate Mama, so I’m glad that I’m here to be part of this celebration, even those people that don’t know our late mother, merely seeing Mama’s children you will all agreed that Mama lived a well fulfilled life.
“She was a fruitful woman, she has an impact in her environment, I’m also from across the expressway, our village and this village were once in one local government before it was cut into two, and then we talk in Ona Ara local government which is the other side of the expressway, so we used to one and the same people, so I know a little bit about this place and the impact mama has made, so I’m happy to be here today to be one of the people celebrating a life well spent of Mama.
“We are grateful to God for the life well spent by Mama, it’s God’s blessings that mama got, and we are grateful mama didn’t use herself anyhow. She stayed in this environment and she became everything in life and she returned to this environment in glorious manner, so on behalf of my elder brother the immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom state and the government and people of Oyo state I want to congratulate all of us that we are witnessing today, which is the celebration of a life well spent by Mama, and my prayers is that all of us will surpassed our old aged parents.”
Appreciating his guests, Bishop Oke recounted how he left the village in 1973 and how God has used different people to help his life sojourn and how the virtues learnt from his mother had helped shapen his life.
He thanked Governor Makinde for his various support to the villages and town through road infrastructure that had helped opened up the village to become a big town.
