By Our Correspondent
Condolences have continued to pour in for two erudite journalists who lost their wives in Calabar the Cross River State capital, penultimate week.
The Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita was one of the first persons to send condolences to the Calabar Correspondent of Africa Independent Television, AIT, Mr. Rasheed Olanrewaju after his wife gave up the ghost at a hospital in Calabar after two days of illness.
Others who also sent their heartfelt condolences include the Nigerian Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, SAN, Senator Bassey Otu, Hon. Nkoyo Toyo, immediate past Cross River INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barr. Mike Igini.
Others are Former Commissioners for Works and that of Youths and Sport, Legor Idagbo and Patrick Ugbe respectively and the immediate past Chief of Staff to the Governor of Cross River State, Dr. Alex Egbona.
The Management and Staff of Daar Communications Plc., the National and Cross River State Council Of Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ as well as the Association of Cross River Online Journalists also sent condolences to the Kwara born journalist who has worked in Cross River in the past six years.
Mr. Zubair in a statement said: “I regret to announce the demise of my wife of ten years, Hajia Ibironke, Tawakaltu Zubair, aged 35.
“Ibironke, a dutiful and supportive wife died at Faith Foundation, Special Clinic, Marian Road, Calabar, after two days illness diagnosed to be Malaria on January 6th 2015.”
Late Ibironke has since been buried in Ilorin, Kwara State, the home State of her husband in line with Islamic injunction.
She left behind three children and her husband, Alhaji Rasheed Olanrewaju.
In the same vein, condolences as well poured in for the Editor of Giant Strides magazine, a tabloid of the Cross River State Government, Mr. Emma Akpong, who also penultimate Saturday buried his late wife Supol Lizzy Akpong in his native Ibong village, Obudu Local Government Area.
In a tribute to the late wife, Mr. Emma Akpong who spoke in a sober tone said that he would have questioned the almighty God if he could, and recalled how he felt the first time he saw her and extolled her virtues.
“You were a quintessential Obudu wife, absolutely supportive of your husband and complicatedly fertile. Between 1995 and 2005, you had done with childbearing, giving the family four kids (2 boys and 2 girls). You combined childbearing, working and furthering your education. All of which you accomplished spectacularly.” he said.
Some respondents who spoke with CrossRiverWatch described late Supol Lizzy Akpong in many ways, praising her astute and industrious nature.
“She was a simple but gallant officer, who did her best to ensure a crime free society wherever she was posted to” says a colleague of hers in her last place of assignment zone 9 Umuahia who declined to mention his name.
“She was a brilliant, industrious and God fearing lady who gave her best, I urge her immediate family to take solace in the fact that death is inevitable and that she has gone to a place which we believe is better than earth.” says Mrs. Elizabeth Akpong, the bereaved sister in-law.
Family members, Friends, Colleagues and well-wishers of both families were on ground to bid the Late Supol Lizzy Akpong farewell, while the Nigeria Police Force, Obudu Division carried out a parade in honor of their departed colleague.