Osinbajo, Obasanjo, Jonathan, Atiku, govs, others bid Diri’s father farewell

Prominent Nigerians on Saturday joined the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, and his family to bid his late father, Pa Abraham Diri, farewell as his remains were buried at Sampou community in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state.

The attendees included Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; his wife, Dolapo, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan alongside the latter’s wife, Patience; former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, the suspended National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu, as well as the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

State governors at the funeral were Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Ademola Adeleke (Osun); Godwin Obaseki (Edo); and his wife, Betty; Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); and Darius Ishiaku (Taraba).

The governors-elect of Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Taraba and Niger states were also present.

Obasanjo in his message delivered by Osinbajo described the deceased as an exemplary teacher, a lay reader and community leader who gave his children proper upbringing.

“We are here to celebrate the life and times of Pa Diri, and the array of personalities here is an indication that Pa Diri brought up and nurtured the aspirations of so many children,” he added.

Also, Jonathan recalled that Diri’s father passed on on a day that his son’s administration was marking its third anniversary, while praying to God to strengthen the family.

Also, Atiku said, “There is a special relationship between me and the people of Bayelsa State. l am with you as a family and that is why l am physically here.”

Responding, Diri said he, his family as well as the state were humbled by the large turnout of high-profile dignitaries in his community to bid his father farewell.

He added, “We are indeed overwhelmed. There can be no love more than that. I would not have thought that there would be a large number of high-profile Nigerians here to celebrate my father.”

The governor described his father as a disciplinarian, noting that he impacted positively on all who crossed his path and they all shared his positive attributes.