By Ibrahim Abdul’Aziz
The Pastor in charge of NKST Gbe in the Mbagba Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State, Rev. Caleb Terngu Nyiyongo, has urged the World Health Organisation (WHO) to immortalise the four members of the same family who perished in a road accident while travelling from Abuja to Makurdi, the Benue State capital, last Sunday evening.
Mrs. Comfort Ngumimi and her three children-David Iorwuese (10), Beauty Iwuese (7), and Favour Dooshima (3), died with nine others when an articulated vehicle carrying iron rods rammed into the 18-seater bus they were travelling as a result of break failure.
The accident occurred at about 4:20 p.m. along Akwanga-Lafia road at Angwan Chiyawa village in the Nasarawa Eggon local government area of the Nasarawa State. The accident happened barely a week after a trailer loaded with cement crushed 11 persons to death on the same road.
The bus was on the fleet of the Benue State owned transport company, Benue Links Transport Company.
The head of the deceased family, Tavershima Jebe, a Tiv man from Benue State, repeatedly fought back tears during the funeral service of his wife and children on Wednesday.
“My world has fallen apart,” he said as the Rev. Nyiyongo, offered comforting words during the burial of the four at Tse-Jebe Gôôso; praying God to comfort and strengthen grieving family. “Where do I begin now? Why did this happen to me?” Jebe continued on and on as the funeral proceeded.
In his sermon, the cleric said as Christians, it is needless to question God especially when they realise that they owe their lives to God, and if they live, they live for God; and if they die, they die for God.
Rev. Nyiyongo, who admonished Christians to submit themselves to the authority of God, noted that because Jesus did so, even though he died, he rose and he lives.
Again, the cleric said if only people would understand the mystery of life and the finality of life, they would mend their ways and flee from anything that would make them fall short of the glory of God.
He prayed God to comfort the family of the deceased, adding:
“It is God alone that can console this family for we don’t have much to do that will console them. Tavershima is for God, the Jebe family is for God and so also those who gave birth to our wife (Comfort). Therefore, only God will console them.
“Jesus was for God and he died for God and because of that we have life. It is therefore true that those who die in God will come back to life as did Jesus because he lives. May God enable those living to realise this and give God thanks in all things,” Rev. Nyoyongo prayed.
In his oration, boss of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr. Clement Peter, represented by Andrew Kimani, said the organisation was “deeply sad” because of the death of the four Jebes.
“We are deeply sad because of this incidence; we are together in it,” and added: “The word of God is peace and in anything He says there is peace.
“Our prayer for you (the Jebe family) is that God will give you peace. We know what the people of Bible times suffered and in the end God repaid them.”
“On a personal note,” Kimani said. “it is a sad day for me because Muthei (Dooshima) that lies here was named after my mother. I am not a Nigerian; I am from Kenya. Our prayer for you is that God will give you peace.”
Both the Ushongo Local Government Council (LGC) Chairman, Hon. Bemsen Agugu ,and Tyoor Mbagba Tyohile Gateh, called for prayers for the Jebe family.
According to Tyoor Gateh, “May a thing of this nature never happen in this land again.”
The royal father, while praying God to console the Jebe family asked: “How old was Abraham when God gave him a son? Tavershima is still a young man. I pray that in the coming days, God will give him a wife and children. May God console the family.”
He also pleaded with family members and friends to support the Jebe family in prayers, encourage them and show love to them “so that even though we mourn today, tomorrow, we will certainly have cause to laugh.”
Governor Samuel Ortom was represented by his Works and Housing Commissioner, Engr. Alex Shaapera. The governor said his thoughts and prayers were with Tavershima Jebe and his grieving family.
