The demise of our lovely mother, Chief Agnes Iyoha ILUEBBEY at the age of eighty seven is painful. She was born into the Royal OARE Family of Idegun in Anwain Clan of Edo State. Her birth in JULY, one of the four sacred months in a year, facilitated her noble-self unconditionally into fame, longevity, peace, piety, wealth and sustainable comfort. She would have been ninety by 7th January, 2024 if she had lived. She was beautiful, healthy, attractive and vibrant. Her beauty, good character, decent conduct and excellent behaviour were irresistible. Her decency fascinated her to an erudite Scholar, James ILUEBBEY, who eventually became her husband. Mama brought joy, wealth and fame into ILUEBBEY’S family. Chief James studied in Ibadan, Britain and in the United States of America. Progressively, he rose meteorically from the Classroom as Teacher to the Pinnacle of the Public Service of Nigeria in Edo State as a Super Permanent Secretary, Head of Service and Secretary to Government. Mama and Papa were the best of friends until Papa died aged 96 years on Sunday, 24th of September, 2017 in Benin-City. Mama mourned Papa solemnly for 3 years, 3 months and 13 days before her demise on 7th January, 2021 at 2:00am, aged 87 years. She was a woman of impeccable judgment, witty, very witty indeed, selfless and immensely humane. Mama lived, worked and died for Nigeria. When beggars die no comets are seen but the Heavens themselves blaze forth the death of Princes.
She was civil, pleasant and zealous in appearance, forceful, intelligent and convincing in speech, flexible and logical in arguments but firm in principles and very reasonable in conclusions. Her judgments, decisions, verdicts, ideas, opinions and guidance were incisive, penetrating, searching, weighty and lofty. She spoke Afemai dialect eloquently and so well that her associates, friends, relatives and admirers were always filled with admiration. She possesses what is lacking in most women of today and represents what is generally desired in Society. She is survived by an intellectual family of four children, a son, three daughters, many grand and great grand children which include two Medical Doctors and a Lawyer. Prominent among the children are Omobumen, Violet Ochuwa-Educationist in America and INEC Director OKPO ILUEBBEY.
She was a devout and a liberal Christian with robust faith who savours the tenets of Christianity in Catholicism with malice towards none but with charity for all and a consuming compelling passion for doing good. Her quality as a person cannot be exactly expressed in words but suffice to say that she was compassionate, discipline, smart, informed, well connected and willingly accommodated others. She was an example of sacrifice. Nigerians are impressed by her kindness, patience, hardwork, courage, determination, decency and sacrifice. She was a rational Merchant. She traded majorly with large Companies in Edo and Delta States that dealt in “glass components”. She facilitated the successes of many people in Business particularly young, dynamic, poor and persons in need, notably, orphans, widows and the less privileged. We will continue to admire, appreciate and love Mama even in death. Her demise is an irreplaceable loss in an inauspicious season.
She served God, Nigeria and mankind faithfully, patriotically, diligently and selflessly. She consistently exhibited strict cardinal virtues of honesty, sincerity, resourcefulness and accountability. She is a major part of anything good in this World. Every page in her life bears the Signature of God. She was a virtuous pedigree, success compilation, a residual of wisdom and a clear-thinking-headed personality. She was very humble, unassuming, incredibly intelligent and absolutely innocuous. She was prudent, constructive, inspirational and righteous. She was immensely peaceful, culturally healthy, mentally alert, emotionally stable and spiritually balanced. She never, ever acted beyond reasonable limits of decency. Her traits, friendly language, kindness and piety attracted her consistently to people of diverse classes. Painful but glorious in the sight of God is the death of a faithful Servant. Indeed, sons and daughters of Kings were always found among dignitaries in her Company.
She was a very compassionate mother. She believed so much in education, security and human development. She was a builder, a lover of humanity with broad network of friends. She was sick but was determined to live. She administered drugs willingly prescribed by medical doctors. In the last two years, she had the privilege of being personally attended to by some of the brightest brains, most professionally fortified and best informed minds in medicine in Nigeria. The excellent medical team includeed, Professor Egbagbe, Professor Unuigbe, Dr Ojobo, Dr Vivian Isenalumen, Dr Margaret Oyakhire (ACP), Permsec Dr Ugbodaga, Dr P.I. Ugbodaga (Jr), Dr Eigbe, Dr A. Ajayi and Dr John Akoda among others. She was very happy and satisfied for the attention she got from this galaxy of good Doctors but we are distressed by her demise. We have been crying, weeping and mourning since her demise. We would still cry even if she would live and die at the age of two hundred years. We are consoled that as mortals’ death is an inevitability, is a truism and is the last enemy yet to be destroyed by God. We heartily salute her as a deserving woman of honour. We graciously salute her as a great patriot, a woman of talents and high ethical standards. We pray for the repose of her kind, simple, gentle, peaceful and lovely soul.
Prince Oyakhire is a former Military Administrator (Governor) of Oyo and Taraba States.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then