Ekuogbe Akpodiete remembered 20 years after

It was celebration galore for the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of Late Chief Barr. (Dr.) Ekuogbe Akpodiete as they remembered their father twenty years after in a grand style.

The celebration of the legal luminary’s life and times, with the theme, ‘Light’ started with a red carpet reception, processional presentation and lighting of candles at his grave site, by the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren who were clad in beautifully designed Ashuebi lace.

There was a re-union service for most of the children, together with their families to interact freely with their siblings who were scattered about in major cities in Nigeria and in the Diaspora. The affair was a fiesta of a sort as guests were treated to free massage, manicure, beauty treatment and makeup while listening to music supplied by Tisio Tisio Music Orchestra.

Aside the free gifts of hats, shoes, t-shirts, school bags, perfumes handed to guests, four lucky person’s namely Otebele Kate ,Cyril Junior ,Ese Nathaniel ,Otaigho Kelvin went home with a trunk box, 32 inches Samsung television , Samsung phone and Dash 5 phone respectively having emerged as winners in the keenly contested raffle draw competition. There was much to eat and drink as guests were also treated to assorted refreshment.

In the same vein, twenty Urhobo indigenes studying Law in different universities across Nigeria were presented with their awards of scholarship. Fielding questions from press men, Onosivwe Jude, a 300 level student and the first applicant for the scholarship award had this to say “haven read the profile of Late Chief Barr. (Dr.) Ekuogbe Akpodiete, I am highly inspired. Being from this part of the world and without scholarship this man went to the extent of bagging LLB, LLM and LLD, this is outstanding and I am motivated to go the whole mile in my profession and also be of tremendous help to my community as he was in his time.

“Also I want to thank Elohim Ministries International (USA) for the opportunity given me to be a part of what God is doing through them. The education, experience and exposure I got while serving as a volunteer in the organization’s three day free medical outreach in Ughelli will see me through a life time of doing charity work. I also want to enjoin all well to do sons and daughters of Urhobo Nation to emulate the good work Ekuogbe Akpodiete Foundation and Elohim Ministries International (USA) are doing.”

On her part, 200 level student from Delta State University, Oleh campus Oniyamah Henna Onomrobarefe, said that “I am indeed grateful to God and the Ekuogbe Akpodiete Foundation as they have touched my life in a special way. This scholarship is coming at a time when I desperately needed help financially, and with what I have gotten today I will not have to bother about school fees for a long time. Aside that, I have this burden in my heart, that because I have been showed love, I will show others love too.”

Also speaking Ukoko Akpode Haggai, a 500 level Law student noted that words were enough to express his heart feelings, “this award is a great one because we never expected it. It is timely because while writing our first semester exams we were wondering and thinking of how to raise money to pay the next school fees. By this noble gesture to total strangers, the Ekuogbe Akpodiete Foundation has wiped tears from our eyes and lessened the financial burden on our parents.”

Comr. Ovuobaribhere Ese Michael Presenting the award of recognition on behalf of National Union of Urhobo Student (NUUS) to the Chief Executive Director of Ekuogbe Akpodiete Foundation, Brenda Ome Ada Ekuo-Akpodiete noted that Ekuogbe Akpodiete Foundation and Elohim Ministries International (USA) have over the years helped so many people achieve their dreams.

The president of NUUS who was accompanied by Ubini Harriet Oghenekevwe, Vice President and Gwede .O. Harrison, Secretary General said “I have gone through the archives and found out that it is only the Ekuogbe Akpodiete Foundation that has rendered so much help to Urhobo indigenes who are students. In 2013, fifteen students in various Nigeria Law school benefitted from the foundation, in 2014, the number rose to eighteen and today twenty Law students drawn from 100-500 level are benefitting. I will say they deserve more than an award because instead of losing steam they are growing strong as an organization. I will use this medium to encourage others to do same so that Urhobos will move forward as a nation.”

The event ended with the cutting of the 20th remembrance and re-union cake, call to worship, singing dancing and merry making.