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.