The town of Agbarho in Delta state was held to a standstill last Saturday, April 6, 2019, when Dubai based big boy, Andrew Okaka, popularly known as Ese, had a superlative burial ceremony for her departed mother, Mrs Victoria Otovweri Okaka, who passed on at age of 82.
The party which was held at the deceased home had a lot of important dignitaries in attendance. There was no dull moment throughout the very entertaining event, as the music maestro, Mr Magic, made sure he gave his best in adding flavour to the colourful event. He had a good performance, as he serenaded all the well-wishers in attendance.
The remains of Mama left mortuary at Agbarho for her compound at about 10 am on Saturday, April 6, 2019, and was greeted with mourning crowd consisting of her members from the Jehovah’s Witness, who came en masse to pay their last respect.
The burial ceremony was conducted by the leaders of the Jehovah’s Witness, who shared emotional reflections of how late Victoria Okaka lived a fulfilled life, and a life worth emulating.
The burial ceremony which started with wake-keep on Friday, rolled into the main event on Saturday and was wrapped up with a reception on the same day, to send the very religious woman into eternal glory.
Her final ceremonial progression through the streets of Agbarho raised treasurable memories of her life among family, friends and even close neighbours. The recollections bespeak the misery of a watching world that fell in love with the beautiful daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother. Andrew and her siblings rued the final departure of their mother, struggling in their grief to deal with the humbling reality that their mother had finally set out alone into eternity.
Madam Okaka cortege was joined along the way by the most important people in her life. They walked behind her remains, and then, so did representatives from each of the families and communities The deceased would definitely turn in her grave for the honour and unrivalled show of love that her beloved sons and daughters gave her.
Speaking with some of the guests at the event, a top businessman from Agborho, who is simply called Don, stated that, those who knew mama in her lifetime will never forget her easily. He averred that many others who never met her, but felt they knew her, will remember her. The deceased is survived by 10 children: Andrew Okaka, Emma Okaka, Sarah Eigbe, Ejiro Okaka, Ruth Anyabuine, Gloria Madu, Patience Iheam, Ann Onyekwevwe, Hope Okaka and John Okaka.
-SEUN JOSEPH
