Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde on Friday extolled the virtues of late Mama Elizabeth Areola Oke, mother of the President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, and Pressing Bishop, Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Francis Wale Oke saying that mama lived a fruitful and fulfilled life.
Governor Makinde who stated this at the final funeral service for the deceased held at James Oke Memorial Church, Kasumu , Ibadan said the late matriarch of the Oke family not only lived long but lived an impactful life in her environment.
“This is not time to mourn, it is time to celebrate a life well spent, it is time to celebrate Mama, so I’m glad that I’m here to be part of this celebration, even those people that don’t know our late Mother merely seeing Mama’s children you will all agree that Mama lived a well fulfilled life. She was a fruitful woman, she has an impact in her environment.”
“I’m also from across the expressway, our village and this village were once in one local government before it was cut into two, and then we talk in Ona Ara local government which is the other side of the expressway, so we used to one and the same people, so I know a little bit about this place and the impact mama has made, so, I’m happy to be here today to be one of the people celebrating a life well spent.”
“He promised to grant the request of Bishop Wale Oke to extend the ongoing 2.2klm Olodo -Kasumu village- Owobale road construction to link Erunmu and Lalupon just as he charged residents of the area not to sell their land as the road when completed will boost the economy of the area.”
“Message to the people of this village is that please don’t sell your land.”
“I’m standing on the alter of God that I will finish it before the end of my tenure in office, and the circular road they’re already clearing it, so all I can say is please beware of land grabbers they will swoop on this area very soon once we are opening this place up, so don’t sell your land, hold it, people will come with even dollars to buy your lands from you don’t sell it.”
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“We are grateful to God for the life well spent by Mama, it’s God’s blessings that Mama got, and we are grateful Mama didn’t use herself anyhow, she stayed in this environment and she became everything in life and she returned to this environment in glorious manner, so on behalf of my elder brother the immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom state and the government and people of Oyo state I want to congratulate all of us that we are witnessing today, which is the celebration of a ife well spent by Mama, and my prayers is that all of us will surpass our aged parents.”
Speaking to the congregation, Rt Reverend Bishop William Aladekugbe the Diocesan Bishop of Ibadan North, charged the congratulation, emphasized the profound responsibility each individual bears for their actions, inactions, and the privileges they have received.
Drawing from the poignant tale of Lazarus and the rich man from the book of Matthew 25: 21 , he described what the judgment day will look like, where all will stand before Christ to give an account of their lives.
The cleric said, regardless of status or circumstance, the pastor reminded the congregation that the world’s unrest serves as a poignant reminder of life’s impermanence.
Bishop Aladekugbe, however instilled hope by proclaiming that death, for believers, is not the end but rather a transition to a realm of eternal bliss prepared by Christ Himself.
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He said with unwavering conviction, he affirmed that death, far from being a conclusion, marks the beginning of a glorious resurrect.
In his appreciation remarks, Makinde, Bishop Francis Wale Oke commended the state governor, ‘Seyi Makinde for his infrastructural revolution in the state.
“I only request for a road to this place from the Governor but he has taken it to Kasumu village and he has also promised to extend Owobale which is 2.2km from here meanwhile the whole community has thought that the road will end in Kasumu village here but His
Excellency said he has approved the money for the extension of the road to Owobale but my request this time around is that I want the road to come from Egbeda, through Owobale to link Erunmu and Lalupon this will open up this entire area to economic development and our people will forever be grateful for it.” He said.
Dignitaries at the occasion include,former Military Administrator of Ogun and Oyo State ,Major General Oladayo Popoola,Ondo State, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, ably represented by Ondo State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Governor Udom Emmanuel, Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Barrister Adebayo Lawal, former Deputy Governor of the state, Barrister Hazeem Gbolarunmi, the SSG, the Head of Service, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Commissioners and few political functionaries.
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Others are General Overseer, Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo,National President of Christians Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, PFN National Vice president ,John Praise, CAN the Chiarman in Oyo state, Reverend Samson Ajetomobi, Primate Emeritus Sunday Akinmakinde among others.