Lagos July 20th (URHOBOTODAY)-Family members of the deceased Senator Pius Akpor Friday warned at his burial ceremony against any form of venting of anger over his demise and warned those who planned to do so to refrain from such action.
People who are allegedly planning to vent their anger over the sudden death of Senator Pius Akpor by unleashing violence on parts of the state have been warned against such action.
Elder brother of the late Senator, Rev Father Anthony Ewherido, who spoke on behalf of the entire Ewherido family during the requiem Mass for the deceased at the Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral Warri, Delta State handed out the warning.
Father Ewherido, while thanking sympathizers, political allies and friends of the departed and the Ewherido family, stressed that late “Pius was a man of peace and we send him forth peacefully and honourably”.
He said that the family was aware of the rumour making the round which he described as “quite caustic and outright callous”, but pointed out that the family believes only in almighty God and He alone they were prepared to listen to even in matter of life and death.
He therefore advised trouble makers to steer clear of the burial ceremonies for the senator, saying, “Though we all wished he had lived longer, we are celebrating life – life well lived. I vowed with my family to listen to one voice; the voice of God alone. God is in charge and, like the song His Excellency the Governor (Uduaghan) sang with us, it is well.
Anything outside that is from the evil one. We must send him forth graciously.”
The admonition by the Ewherido family was apparently in reaction to reported widespread anger over the sudden death of the senator at the relatively young age of 50 years following allegation in some quarters that his death had some mysterious undertone, which the people blamed on perceived political adversaries.
According Rev Fr Peter Ikolo, who delivered the homily during the special commendation Eucharistic celebrating at the Mother of The Redeemer Catholic Church Warri on Thursday, Senator Ewherido had on his scholarship list “over 270 youths and students” with each beneficiary receiving at least N100, 000 annually.
The old oil-city of Warri was practically shut down yesterday for Senator Ewherido as people from all works of life thronged the city for the final round of passage rites for the senator.
Aside from the host governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, other dignitaries at the requiem Mass yesterday include Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and his Edo State counterpart, Mr. Adam Oshiomhole; the Senate President, Senator David Mark as well as ex-governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Victor Ochei, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Senator James Manager, ex-minister and ACN chieftain, Chief Tom Ikimi, Mr Festus Keyamu, numerous religious and traditional rulers and many members of the national and various states’ houses of Assembly.
Rev Father Anthony Ewherido also thanked Bishop Afereha of the Catholic Diocese of Warri for advising and allowing the use of the cathedral in order to accommodate the large number of people who attended the church ceremony.
Earlier, Governor Uduaghan in his remarks described the late senator as a man of principles who was committed to service of his fellow men and women.
He noted that even after the late Ewherido left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) they had remained friends related well with each other.
Source: Thisday