By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
The entire Unenurhie community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State was recently thrown into mourning as families, friends and children of the late Mr. Goddey Oghifo Oghenero Maison, gathered to pay him the last respect.
Mr. Maison, who died at quite a young age, was aged 53.
The funeral event which was held on Friday December 15, 2023 began with a church service at St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Unenurhie with Ven. G. O. A Ujevwecha, the Archdeacon of Evwreni Archedeaconry, Rev. A. E. Onoyasakpo, Vicar of the church and Ven. Charles Esegba, Archdeacon from Western Izon Diocese officiating at the funeral service.
The sermon, taken from the Bible book of 1 Thess. 4: 13-18 which the Evwreni Archdeacon presented to the mournful congregation, extolled the virtues of the late brother and also advised the children to live the example left by their late father in good behaviour and character.
The respected senior Anglican priest ended his sermon by praying for the wife and children and also the family members for God to remove the spirit of death of young people from the entire family in particular and the Unenurhie community in general. The remains were later committed to mother earth at his family compound according to the practices and precepts of the Anglican Church by the officiating ministers.
Thereafter, friends and guests were treated to a warm reception at the Unenurhie Event Centre (UEC) by the family and children of the deceased for standing by them all through the period of mourning, weeping and sorrow.
This was later replicated according to the funeral rites and traditions of the Unenurhie people by the family in-laws led by the senior son-in-law, Mr. Shederack Omote to pay the traditional in-law’s greeting to the family in cash and kind.
In separate tributes to their late father, the three children of late Mr. Goddey Maison described their father as very caring especially about their welfare and wellbeing as children. They also described their late father as somebody who had the interest to offer them the best available educational opportunities, lamenting that death abruptly cut short all their dreams and high expectations. They however bid their late father peaceful rest in the bossom of the Lord until they meet to part no more.
Late Mr. Goddey Oghifo Oghenero Maison was a renowned furniture maker in Lagos State. He also gained employment into Julius Berger Construction Company PLC in 2000 and worked there for over seventeen years until he got a voluntary retirement in 2017.
Late Mr. Goddey Oghifo Oghenero Maison was survived by a wife, Mrs. Gloria Maison, three children, two grand-children, a son-in-law and numerous family members. He died on 22nd September, 2023 after a protracted sickness at the age of 53 years. Late Mr. Goddey Maison was a younger brother to the president-general of Unenurhie community, Mr. Peter Maison.
