His Excellency, Yahaya Bello
Governor of Kogi State
Government House
Lokoja
My Dearest Boss and Beloved Siamese Twin,
LETTER OF CONDOLENCE
My heart is grieved at the sad news of the passing away of our dear mother and the matriarch of your paternal family, Hajia Hauwau Oziohu Bello, who answered the call of Allah this evening.
Although mama has lived to a ripe old age, we still prayed that she would give us many more years of her presence, counsel, and blessings. Thus, her passing at this time is both unexpected and painful.
At this heart-rending time, I think of Your Excellency, of your wives and children, of the members of your extended family and of the innumerable multitude of people, including us in the New Direction Team to whom she was also a mother and I feel your loss and pain as my own.
I cannot think of any word of my own that is adequate for this moment and must, therefore, turn to the Holy Books of our respective faiths to look for ultimate consolation.
Verse 2:156 of the Holy Qur’an gives a universal affirmation of hope: ‘Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un’. Indeed to God the Creator we belong and to Him, we shall return.
Likewise, the Book of Micah chapter 6 and verse 8 of the Holy Bible provides us a universal evaluation of the human mandate: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
We can both testify that mama fully satisfied this mandate in her long and illustrious life. She lived justly and with the fear of God. She demonstrated God’s mercy to multitudes. She was an epitome of saintly Humility.
Therefore, though Mama may no longer walk this earth with us, she is not dead. She has only gone on to the reward of the Faithful after a long and fruitful life here on earth.
Now we have no reason to mourn like those who have no hope.
So, while I pray the Almighty God to comfort you for me in the special ways that only He can, I also pray you to cast away sadness and gloom and celebrate the amazing life and times of our mother with joy and gladness.
My deepest, heartfelt condolences sir.
Sincerely Yours,
EDWARD DAVID ONOJA (CIK),
Deputy Governor, Kogi State
