Patience Jonathan Weeps, Visits Families of Dead Bayelsa Women

17 Feb 2015 First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan As APC, Mark, Orji commiserate with Bayelsa govt, First Lady over tragedy Segun James in Yenagoa
 The First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on Monday shed tears when she paid a condolence visit to the families of the eleven female Bayelsa State Politicians who died in the Saturday ghastly motor accident near the Old Ahoada Market road, along the East-west road of Rivers State. The women who were associates of the First Lady were involved in the ghastly accident that claimed their lives soon after seeing her off at the Port Harcourt International Airport. Also, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senate President, David Mark and Abia State Governor, chief Theodore Orji, condoled with the government and people of Bayelsa State as well as the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, over the death of eleven of her women supporters in the gory vehicle accident. The First Lady who arrived Yenagoa early in the day was dressed in a black attire and accompanied on the condolence visits by prominent members of her Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) known as Women for Change Initiative, including the wife of the First Executive Governor of the State, Margaret Alameisegha and Former Bayelsa Transport Commissioner, Marie Ebikake. At the home of one of the deceased, wife of a member of staff of the Bayelsa Radio Corporation, Mrs. Ayakpo Otolo, she condoled with the family in a tears-laden voice and used white handkerchief to hide her tears. Dame Jonathan described the women as her friends and sisters. She also visited the homes of a former Member of the State House of Assembly from Brass local government, who is currently a Special Adviser to Governor Seriake Dickson, Mrs. Ruby Benjamin; a former Commissioner for Women Affairs under the administration of Gov. Timipre Sylva, Hon. Gimbra Panowei, the Wife of the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Elizabeth Allison-Oguru and a Woman Leader from Otuoke Community in Ogbia local government, Madam Consider Amadi. Meanwhile, the umbrella body of the Ijaw Youths worldwide, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), has expressed shock and disbelief over the death of about 11 women of Bayelsa extraction in a ghastly motor accident, stating: “It is shocking to lose about 11 women to the cold hands of death in one swoop”. The IYC, in a statement issued by its spokesman, Comrade Eric Omare, sympathised with the families of those who lost their loved ones and prayed that the almighty God will grant them the fortitude to bear the loss. “We also sympathise with the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson, the government and people of Bayelsa State over this unfortunate incident. “These women were not only leading Ijaw female politicians and leaders, but responsible mothers of Ijaw Youths. Their adventure into the male dominated world of politics provided and would continue to provide the leverage for more Ijaw women to participate in politics towards the development of the Ijaw people. Hence, their families should take solace in the fact that they died working towards the development of the Ijaw nation.” the IYC said. Meanwhile, the APC in a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the party was shocked and saddened at the untimely death of the women, who were mothers, wives, sisters and daughters. It prayed that God will grant the deceased eternal rest and also give their bereaved families the strength to bear their losses. “May God also provide the bereaved families with the succour and comfort they so much need in their moment of darkness,” APC said. Mark, in his condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, said the women died in their prime at the time their services were still needed to solve the socio-economic and political problems facing the nation. According to Mark, the women died in their active services of the nation and should be accorded such honour. He therefore told the first family, the government and people of Bayelsa, especially the bereaved family to accept the incident in good fate, noting that”death is a necessary end that must come when it shall”. The Senate President urged the government of Bayelsa State to immortalise the deceased for their unquantifiable contributions to the development of the state. The Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, in a condolence message expressed his heartfelt sympathy, saying he was filled with sorrow and regrets over the tragic death of the women, describing the incident as a great loss not only to Bayelsa State but to the nation as a whole. He regreted that the sudden death of the women was particularly painful considering that they were hale and hearty shortly after seeing the wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan off at the Port Harcourt International Airport. Orji commiserated with his Bayelsa State counterpart, Governor Dickson on the monumental and irreparable loss and urged him and the families of the victims of the accident to bear the loss with fortitude. THISDAYS NEWS