By Mbam Ejike, Abakaliki
All roads led to Ndieboishiagu Community, Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on December 3, 2021 as the remains of a notable Ndieboishiagu-born nurse, Late Chief Paul Nwokpor were interred to mother Earth.
Chief Paul Nwokpor who died at the age of 61 years was born to the family of His Royal Highness, Late Chief Nwokpor Nwofoke Odda, then traditional ruler of Ndieboishiagu community, a nurse by profession who has been adjudged to have left indelible marks in the sands of history both in the nursing field and other walks of life.
Speaking to the press immediately after the burial of his in-law, the Former Minister of State for power and steel, Chief Goddy Ogbaga (Ezeudo), described Late Chief Paul Nwokpor’s demise as a call of nature while praying God to accept his soul in heaven and take care of the children and family he left behind. Chief Ogbaga whose wife comes from the same family as the deceased also noted that late Chief Paul Nwokpor was a good man who denied himself sleep because of the problem of others but since it was God who gives life that had taken, there was nothing any human being could do. He advised the children and family of Nwokpor to take solace in the fact that their father lived a life worthy of emulation while on Earth.
On his part, the first son to late Chief Paul Nwokpor, Barr Augustine Chike Nwokpor stated that his father lived a very wonderful life with legacy that he was still thinking of how to meet up with, asking God to forgive his father’s wrongs and grant him eternal rest. Barr Chike thanked everybody who made out time to come and sympathize with them even as he prayed God to lead them back to their destinations safely.
Similarly, DSP Obinna Nwede, husband to the first daughter of late Chief Nwokpor said his late father-in-law lived a good life while on earth as people were already testifying to that and the voice of people being the voice of God, he pleaded that God should on that premise grant his father-in-law eternal rest. DSP Nwede maintained that it was late Chief Nwokpor’s love for his children that led him to training all of them up to University level and expectedly in the full knowledge of who their father was, they have all started following his footsteps even while he was alive. He prayed for long life to the family members and all who came to console them.
Also describing late Paul Nwokpor as a good person, a distant mother-in-law from Rivers State, Barr Magdalene Mommoh Yusuf said Paul was a gentleman, having known him for over three years when their children decided to get married and that it was no surprise to her that people were testifying to that even after his death. Barr Mommoh whose daughter is married to the second son of the family added that the society needed more people like the late nurse who will not just be a father to his children but to all; both the young and the old.
Also present at the burial were: Chief Fidelis Nwankwo (Omerugeopfuru), Hon Stephen Abarike (Osisioma), highly respected academia and professionals from different walks of life including but not limited to nurses, men of Nigerian Police Force, friends and well-wishers.
