By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
BARELY two weeks to 2022 Christmas celebration, Ogori in Ogori-Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State, has lost two promising, illustrious descendants in three days.
Bridget Otaro
This is definitely not a cheering development for a homogeneous community popularly referred to as Small Jerusalem where all roads usually lead during the yearly Yuletide for communal conviviality.
First was the brutal passing of Patrick Jerome Oyewole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of the Nigeria Police Force on Monday, December 12, 2022, at Oro, Kwara State, after a protracted illness.
Oyewole, who passed at 51, was subsequently interred the following day, Tuesday, December 13, at Oro, leaving behind his wife and four children.
Promising and hard working, ASP Oyewole, popularly known as Nda Pat, was a member of the 1990 Golden set of the Community Comprehensive High School (CCHS), Ogori.
Nda Pat!
Following, in quick succession, was the passing of a delectable and vivacious Mrs Bridget Otaro (Nee Lawrence) of Enibe Quarters in far away Abuja. What transpired? She was said to have taken ill less than two months ago shortly after she was transferred from Akure to Minner, Niger State, as a director at the National Open University (NOUN).
As of the time of filing this report, some members of the family of Mrs Otaro were yet to be informed of her demise, as she left behind aged parents, her husband and three children, two or which just recently graduated from the university.
A source, who claimed to have had a chat with Bridget about five days before the incident, could not actually ascertain the cause of her illness, but suspected some metaphysical attacks from unknown sources.
Lamenting the untimely passing of the police officer from Udo Quarters, directly opposite Beams Restaurant, Pastor Flourish Atoju of Spring of Grace Assembly, Abuja, quipped in agony:
“Patrick Jerome Oyewole was a promising hard working officer, courageous and humane aswell.
“Unfortunately, death will not allow him fulfill his dreams.
He was a brother and friend.
“Let us keep the family of Jerome Oyewole Aturu in Udo Street Ogori in our Prayers.
May the soul of our brother rest in peace. Tigure Moda Oboro.”
Mr Bathlomew Aturu would go ahead to throw up some rhetorical questions about the seeming, fleeting erosion of Ogori youths year in, year out.
“The news about Patrick’s demise look imaginary to me. I find it difficult to reconcile how such a gentle, down-to-earth and committed young man would quickly succumb to this unwanted visitor called death!
“How come we keep losing our loved ones in their prime? Are our ancestors aware of this plague?” he queried.
In helpless surrender, Mr Aturu would surmise: “I am consoled because God the Supreme Being, the Alpha and Omega, is aware and alive and has given us hope for life in eternity.
“That is what I prayed for his soul and for God to console the immediate and extended family in Jesus’ name.”
Nda Pat’s shocking transition is not without some vacuum created as he left behind his wife and four children.
Condoling the family, a member of Opa 27th Age Group Ogori, which late Oyewole belonged, Mr Stephen Adelana Ajayi, on behalf of the age grade, said “we take solace in the fact that the life he lived had positively affected the Opa 27th Age Group Ogori.”
“We pray that Almighty God will grant the entire family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
Lucky-go Bridget was described as loving, warm and hospitable to a fault. She was said to have always marked every year’s Christmas with fanfare to also mark her birthday.
As of the time of filing the report, the family has not come out with a statement as regards her burials.
Stonix News recalled that Ogori was similarly plunged into mourning between Easter Good Friday and May ending as
Mosugu Ezekiel Atebi and his two children, Joana and Jason, were killed in a fatal auto crash along Keffi – Abuja road while on their way from Jos.
Young and vibrant lawyer, Mr Tibileri Mosugu, of the great Mosugu dynasty of Ogori, was killed in the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna train attack by terrorists.
Earlier on February 14, 2022, the erudite community of professors, had also lost one of its shinning lights, Rev. Solomon Balosibina of the famous Arogunmasa lineage in Abuja at 68.
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