Nigerian Embassy in Sweden honours the late King of Opokuma

L-R King Ogionwo's children, Anna, Dag, Joachim & Elsa

L-R, Cyprian (King Ogionwo's lawyer) Ambassador Igali, Izonebi Rodger Obubo, Timi Alaibe

Pastor Olushola delivering the sermon

Ambassador Igali eulogizes King Ogionwo

King Ogionwo's family in Sweden

The activities marking the funeral of King William Waripamo Ogionwo came to a close on Saturday March 27 2010 with a memorial service in his honour organised at the Fiskgjusen Hall of Hilton Hotel in Malmö, Sweden not far from Lund where he had begun his academic career about five decades ago. The service was attended by his family in Sweden with their friends and sympathisers, members of the Nigerian Community in Sweden led by the Nigerian Ambassador to Sweden-Denmark-Norway and Finland, Dr. Godknows Boladei Igali. After the service, guests were treated to a slide show of Opokuma, highlighting the coronation of the King William which took place only in August 2007.
Representatives of the King’s family in Igbainwari, Opokuma travelled from Nigeria and the Netherlands to Malmö to attend the service. The Gbaranbiri branch of the family was represented by Timi Alaibe, Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria while the Gboluzigha branch was represented by Izonebi Rodger Obubo, Training Programmes Manager at the EU-ACP Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation in Wageningen, Netherlands and his wife Mairo and his son Julian.
Speaking at the occasion, Ambassador Igali paid glowing tributes to the pioneering spirit of the late king. He recalled that the late king came to Lund in Sweden in 1961 at a time when the popular thing to do for most young Nigerians in search of the golden fleece was to go to the United Kingdom and the United States of America.. Young William thought differently and went to the uncharted waters in the University of Lund, the biggest academic institution in Sweden, where he made his mark and for which he will always be remembered. He was undeterred by the challenges and the obvious constraints that he faced in those unfamiliar circumstances. He was a courageous trail blazer and a very successful one at that. The ambassador concluded that King William’s achievements were an inspiration to many Nigerians
Also speaking at the occasion, Timi Alaibe formally reminded the late King’s children that they were princes and princesses of Opokuma in their own right and invited them to share in facing the development challenges at home in furtherance of their father’s legacy. They were invited to visit the family at home to get to know their relatives while they remain good ambassadors of Igbainwari in the Diaspora.
Founded in 1666, Lund is the second oldest Swedish university and one of the most prestigious. Lund also ranks as one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities. Having cut his teeth on such a solid academic background in Lund University, King William’s excellence in his professional life was guaranteed. It was therefore a befitting activity to remember the passing of the great man in Malmö, near the city of Lund, thus reemphasising his immense intellectual contribution to the academic world.
There were some emotional moments when the wife of his youth, Margarita and her two daughters, Anna and Elsa and his sons Dag and Joachim paid tributes to their famous dad they did not see enough of.
The service was conducted by Danford of the Redeemed Christian Church of God of the Nigerian Community in Denmark and Sweden. The sermon was delivered by Pastor Ade Olusola.

Follow this link to more photos of the memorial service.

King William Ogionwo's Funeral: Traditional Ceremonies End

Tuesday, March 16 marked the end of the traditional post-burial ceremonies in honour of the late King. In a sombre ceremony close relatives shaved off the hair on their heads as a last mark of love and respect to the King.

Press Release: King William Ogionwo's Burial

Press Release from the Publicity Committee (Special credit to Okpoitari Diongoli for draft text and photographs)

The remains of the Opokuma monarch, King William Ogionwo have been laid to rest in the premises his palace at Igbainwari town, Opokuma Clan in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area.
The ceremony was well attended by dignitaries from all walks of life. They include retired Vice-Admiral Mike Akhigbe who served as the Chief of Defence Staff and deputy Head of State during the General Abdusalam Abubakar-led military government. Admiral Akhigbe’s daughter got married one of the late king’s son just two weeks before the King’s death. The Vice-Chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Jonathan Kubor, the first Military Administrator of old Rivers State and presently Amayanabo of Twon Brass King Alfred Diette Spiff and King Joshua Igbugburu X of Boma Clan led an array of First Class Traditional Rulers to the funeral. Also in attendance was the Chairperson Bayelsa State Elders Consultative Council, Chief Francis Doukpola.

The academic community was well represented though the presence of a strong contingent of erstwhile academic colleagues from the Universities of Ibadan and Port Harcourt and the former Minister of Science and Technology, also a former colleague at the University of Ibadan, Professor Turner Isoun and his wife Miriam.

Speaking at the occasion, Admiral Akhigbe extolled the sterling qualities King Ogionwo, highlighting his immense intellectual contribution to the academic world and invaluable contribution to the growth and development of his community, state and country in general. He challenged the bereaved family to immortalize the name of the late King who was a renowned Professor of Sociology and Social Psychology by emulating his footsteps. He condoled with the Ogionwo Family, the Chiefs and People of Opokuma Clan and Bayelsa State in general for the irreparable loss but urged all to take solace that the departed monarch lived a fulfilled life.

In his message at the open air church service, the General Overseer Royal House of Grace Church International Apostle Zilly Aggrey described death as a necessary end for all mortals. Apostle Aggrey stressed that what matters in life is not how long but how well an individual lives and what legacy the individual leaves behind, and prayed that God provides more illustrious sons for the Igbainwari community and Opokuma clan in general.

The major highlight at the ceremony was the announcement of the plan by the Nigerian Embassy in Sweden to hold a memorial service in honour of the late King in Malmo, Sweden on Saturday, March 27, 2010. The service will be attended by his family in Sweden with their friends and sympathisers, members of the Nigerian Community in Sweden led by the Nigerian Ambassador to Sweden-Denmark-Norway and Finland, Dr. Godknows Boladei Igali, and members of the King's old faculty in the University of Lund. The service is being organised under the auspices of the Nigerian Ambassador. The late King’s four older children are Swedish citizens.

Tears And Wails As King William Ogionwo Is Laid to Rest

Saturday March 12 2010 was indeed a sad and sombre day at Igbainwari, Opokuma as King William Ogionwo was laid to rest in a beautifully constructed mausoleum in the palace premises amid wails and tears from his grieving subjects, family and friends from far and near. There was a paradoxical mixture of grief and gaiety as the people of Opokuma clan struggled between the pain of losing a dearly loved monarch and the cultural necessity to herald their king to the great beyond in pomp and pageantry.

Close family and kinsmen could not hold back their tears as the casket was lowered to its final resting place. Men struggled to stay calm to show masculine stoicism but for some the pressure was all too much to bear as they saw wailing women and girls. They broke down too and there were quite a few soaked handkerchiefs. Such was the love they had for their King.

The calamity that befell the people of Opokuma on that fateful morning of Tuesday, January 5, 2010 when death snatched their King from them was now replayed it all its stark reality – the day’s events marked in formal terms, the finality of a great life. Death’s sting has done its worst and the great hope that was heralded in August 2007 when William Ogionwo was crowned King of the Opokuma was dashed in just 29 short months. The servant-King (a term he used to describe his royal role during his coronation) was no more. No more would they drink from the great fountain of wisdom that held such a potent promise for development of the community. Alas they were left to say only tearful Adieus.

His burial ceremony was graced by people from all walks of life – kings, professors, top military and government functionaries. The graveside eulogies expressed from diverse perspectives drew tears of grief and as well as nods of satisfaction and pride for Opokuma for a life well spent in the service of humanity. As they saw the tumultuous crowd of Nigeria’s Who is Who from a wide spectrum of interest groups – the academia (his primary constituency), richly adorned monarchs from the various Ijaw nationalities, top government functionaries, the people of Opokuma could only but smile and agree in unison “This indeed was a man!!”

King William is gone but his legacy of an exemplary life full of achievements lives on for his subjects especially the youth to emulate.

King William Ogionwo's Final Home Coming

Today the body will lie in state at the traditional rulers council secretariat Yenagoa and later at the Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area Secretariat before a Christian and social wake at his home town, Igbainwari, Opokuma.

Yesterday at the Chief Ebitimi Banigo Hall of the University of Port Harcourt, it was tributes galore as speaker after speaker extolled the sterling’s qualities of the renowned Professor of sociology.

Speaking at a public lecture in his honour, the head of department of Sociology University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Steve Okoroduwa called on State Government and the Ogionwo family to immortalize the late revered Professor of sociology at the University.

Dr. Okoroduwa said in partnership with the bereaved family, the department would accept and house the books of the professor in a library to be named after the Opokuma monarch. He described the deceased as a man of exceptional qualities who related with all as equals.

In his paper titled "Leadership And The Niger Delta Crisis" the President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Dr. Atuboyedia Obianemi, blamed the Niger Delta crisis on institutional failure. He said, the political, social-economic and judicial system has failed the citizens, noting that it is a result of planlessness and lack of vision of policy initiators and implementers.

The INC President recommended that for the Niger Delta crisis to be resolved, the Federal Government should create two more states for Ijaws along homogeneity and contiguity, so that the people can define their destiny and develop according to their pace as well as control of their resources.

The INC President said the pan-Ijaw social organization has adopted a new philosophy known as the ‘New Kaiama Declaration’ in its pursuit of the realization of the Ijaw struggle. This is a paradigm shift from violence and confrontation that the organisation was associated with, to the principles of intellectualism and diplomacy.
He stressed that justice and equity as well as a post-amnesty programme that focuses on areas where the people of the Niger Delta have comparative advantage such as marine and Oil/Gas were critical towards achieving lasting peace in the region.

Professor Emeritus Ebiegberi Alagoa chaired the event which had Ambassador Lawrence Ekpebu and Professor Nelson Brambaifa in attendance.

Press Release by the Publicity Committee

King William Ogionwo:Funeral Programme

Programme of Activities For The Burial of King William Waripamo OGIONWO

Wednesday, 10th March 2010:- Service of songs at his residence, Ogionwo Close, GRA Phase 1, Port Harcourt - opposite Salvation Ministries [behind Presidential Hotel]

Thursday, 11th March 2010 :- Public Lecture titled Leadership & the Niger Delta Crisis to be delivered by: Dr. Atuboyedia Obianemi (President Ijaw National Congress). Venue: Ebitimi Banigo Hall, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Port Harcourt. Time: 1100 hours.

Friday, 12th March 2010:- Body leaves Shell Mortuary, Port Harcourt

Funeral cortege arrives Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers Secretariat Yenagoa for lying in state.

Funeral cortege departs Yenagoa, for KOLGA Secretariat, Kaiama for a brief ceremony. [Kolokuma- Opokuma Council of Chiefs].

Funeral cortege leaves KOLGA in a motorcade and will make brief stopovers in all the ten towns of Opokuma clan before final lying in state in his palace at Igbainwari

Highlights:
(i) Cross country race
(ii) Traditional Wrestling Match
(iii) Cultural dance
(iv) King Robert Ebizimor (b) Pereama Freetown and his young choppers band, (c) DJ Kemelite and the you-too-much crew from Radio Bayelsa (d) Christian wake

Saturday 13th March 2010:- Open Air Service and Interment in the Palace premises.

Refreshments

Tuesday, 16th March, 2010: Post burial rites

Chairman, Publicity Committee
Announcer