By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
At a Shelter Afrique Field, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Saturday, was a convergence of eminent personalities, who joined the Gubernatorial Candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), for the State, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, CON, in a solemn moment as the remains of his late younger brother, Akparawa Ofonmbuk Robert Albert Akpan were laid to rest.
The funeral service conducted by the Living Faith Church, Mbiabong Etoi where the deceased was a member, was witnessed by hundreds of sympathizers from all strata of the society, including top government officials, political parties chieftains, clerics, royal fathers, socio-cultural groups among others.
The personalities included the
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Obong Umana Okon Umana; the immediate past Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio and wife, Mrs Unoma Ekaette Akpabio, Senator Ita Enang; members of House of Representatives – Hon.Charles Uduyok, Hon. Aniekan Umana, Hon. Emmanuel Ukpong-udo, Hon Mike Enyong; the former Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Obong Nsima Ekere; the Chairman, Young Progressives Party (YPP), Akwa Ibom State, Apostle Nyeneime Andy; YPP Deputy Gubernatorial running mate, AIG Asuquo Amba (rtd) and wife, Mrs Janet Amba and Chairman, Akwa UbokAbasi Campaign Council, Sir Emem Akpabio.
Also at the service were; Director General of Akwa UbokAbasi Campaign Council, Pastor Sunny Ibuot; Hon. Emmanuel Ekpenyong; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Akwa Ibom State, Barr. Ini Ememobong; Archbishop Andrew Uwanta, Obong Daniel Udoh; Hon. Unyime Idem; Prince Enobong Uwah; YPP Senatorial Candidate for Akwa Ibom South, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-Eyen; PDP Senatorial Candidate for Akwa Ibom North West, Barr Emmanuel Enoidem; YPP Senatorial Candidate for Akwa Ibom North East, Barr Usenobong Akpabio; Hon. Monday Eyo; a political chieftain, Chief Jerry Okpo; Archbishop Cletus Bassey and Rev (Mrs.) Angela Achong, among several others.
The International President of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio, Akparawa James Edet, NPOM, led over 100 members of the foremost socio-cultural organisation to honour the Late Robert, who was their member.
The family of the deceased, led by Mr. Atai Albert, had Senator Bassey Albert Akpan (OBA) and wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Imaobong Albert; Mr Princewill Albert; Nseobong Albert; Blessing Akpan and the wife of the deceased, Seno Robert Albert and children, and other members of their families. Royal fathers and community leaders from Ididep Usuk – the village of the Alberts in Ibibio Ibom Local Government Area, were also at the service in great numbers.
The late Akparawa Ofonmbuk Robert Albert Akpan, whose biography was read by his children – Keila, Hilary and Jemimah; was born on May 7, 1979 to the family of late Albert Robert Akpan from Ididep Usuk in Ibiono Ibom, and Late Deaconess Iquo Bassey Akpan of Nkim Itam in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
He had his primary education at Command Children School off Barracks Road and finished at Sacred Heart Primary School, Calabar, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1991 and thereafter, proceeded to the Hope Waddell Training Institution where he obtained his West African Examination Certificate upon his completion.
He studied at the University of Calabar, where he graduated with a second-class BSc Hon in Sociology and was still in pursuit of his M SC. in Criminology at the University of Abuja at the time of his demise at the age of 43. The late Ofonmbuk married in 2010 to Seno Sylvester Akpan and they both had four children.
He was the longest-serving Personal Assistant to his brother, Mr. Bassey Albert Akpan as the Commissioner of Finance, Akwa Ibom State, as well as when he became a Senator till his demise.
The officiating minister and Resident Pastor of Living Faith Church, Mbiabong Etoi, Pastor Eddie Adeoye admonished Christians to live a godly life that will be counted for them after their exit on earth.
Pastor Adeoye, who took his scriptures from book of Psalms 90:1-12 with his sermon tagged, “I dey go, I dey come”, noted that the late Robert from his service record was a good Christian and urged his family to take solace in God as every life belongs to Him. He further read from I Thessalonians 4:13-18, assuring all faithful that there is resurrection.
Mr Atai Albert, on behalf of the family, expressed thanks to all who joined them to bid their late brother farewell.
According to him, while the family is discomforted with the incident, they have accepted it as the will of God.
