Switzerland, following the death of her foster mother, Mrs. Charity
Obah, in a car crash on Monday.
THISDAY learnt yesterday that the first lady, who was said to have
been devastated by the news of the accident, which occurred on the
East-West Road, is billed to return to the country today.
Condolences have also started pouring in for the first lady as
CrossRiver State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, and his Bayelsa
Statecounterpart, Hon. Seriake Dickson, commiserated with her.
The first lady had been in Geneva since last week, where she was
formally appointed Champion for Child Online Protection by the
International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which launched the Child
Online Protection (COP) initiative in 2008 as part of the overall
thrust to strengthen cyber security.
The Rivers State Police Command, which confirmed the incident, gave
details of how the accident, which also claimed the life of a
14-year-old girl, whose name was simply given as Favour, a student of
Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School, Elele, happened.
Obah's body was deposited at the Kpaima mortuary on Elechi Beach, Mile
One, Diobu, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, around 6pm, by
the self-acclaimed "Speaker" of Rivers House of Assembly, Evans Bipi,
who was accompanied by many policemen.
A top presidency official, who demanded anonymity, told THISDAY
yesterday on the phone that the first lady was shocked when the news
of her foster mother's death was broken to her.
She was said to be so devastated by the news that she was unable to
attend to scheduled engagements.
About three months ago, the late Obah was in Germany to receive
treatment for an undisclosed ailment. At that time, the presidency was
compelled to break its silence on the then foreign trip of Mrs.
Jonathan, saying she travelled to attend to her mother who was on
medical treatment.
The source said: "The first lady is indeed very devastated by the sad
news. We are expecting her back in the country tomorrow (today)".
The police in Rivers State yesterday gave details of how Obah
waskilled in the road accident at the Elele axis of the East-West Road
in the state.
The command's Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Angela Agabe, a Deputy
Superintendent of Police (DSP), told journalists in Port Harcourt that
the late Obah was travelling in company with her driver, Stanley
Enyinnaya, and two others in a Toyota salon car with registration
number ABU 153 AE from Port Harcourt to Bayelsa when the vehicle had a
tyre burst and the driver lost controlof the car. The car veered into
the bush and hit a tree, causing the death of Obah.
She said the driver and the other passenger who sustained injuries
were being treated at the Save the Life Hospital, Government
Reservation Area, Port Harcourt.
Agabe explained that the late Obah was not the natural mother of Mrs
Jonathan but took care of her after the death of her mother.
She added that the bodies of the dead were deposited at Kpaima
mortuary, Elechi Beach, Diobu, Port Harcourt at 7.30pm on Monday.
She said: "She (Obah) died on her way to Bayelsa. Within Elele, there
was a bend and the driver was on a very high speed and onetyre pulled
out and the vehicle veered into the bush. There were fouroccupants in
the vehicle; two died and two survived.
"The mother of the wife of the president died, a 14-year-old girl also
died. The driver and the other occupant survived."
Condoling with the first lady over the death of her foster mother, the
Cross River State governor described Obah's death as painful and
unfortunate.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, Imoke
said the incident was tragic and saddening.
"It is with a sense of shock and loss that I received the sad news,"he said.
He urged the first family to find consolation in the fact that "she
livedan exemplary worthy of emulation."
Imoke said the deceased would be sorely missed.
In his condolence message, the Bayelsa State governor expressed shock
and regrets at the sudden death of Obah.
Dickson described the death as a great blow and an irreparable loss to
the first lady's immediate family and the nation as a whole, stressing
that Obah's motherly and wise counsel would be greatly missed by all
who knew her.
The governor noted that her demise was coming at such a time when the
first lady and her family needed Obah's support and encouragement
most.
He urged the first lady, the family and the Obah family in Okrika in
Rivers State to accept the unfortunate incident as the will of God and
take it with philosophical calmness.
The governor on behalf of the government and people of Bayelsa State
also prayed God to strengthen and grant Mrs. Jonathan and the entire
family the fortitude and courage to bear the loss.
Also, a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in the state,
Chief Nathan Egba, commiserated with President Goodluck Jonathan and
his wife over the death of Obah.
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