Jonathan, Diri, Judges Pay Last Respects To Bayelsa CJ’s Spouse

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, their wives, and Judges from across the country, on Wednesday, bid farewell to the husband of the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Elder Freeman Ayemieye.

At the funeral service held at the Saint Peter’s Deanery, Yenagoa, the former president and the Bayelsa governor paid tributes to the late Anglican Layreader.

In his tribute, Dr. Jonathan charged political leaders to live lives worthy of remembrance, warning that no one owned the world or even his own family.

He said from his biography and the testimony of the church’s Men’s Fellowship, Elder Ayemieye lived well and was a pillar of the church.

The former Nigerian leader said one of the striking lessons from burials was that everyone will die one day, and asked: when we leave, what will people remember us by?

Addressing political leaders, Jonathan queried if people would remember them for the number of people they killed or the number of houses they burnt down because they wanted to win elections.

He warned that as elections approach, Nigerians will listen to speeches by politicians, some of whom talk as if they owned the world, but in reality, they were just individuals.

According to him, “no matter how powerful you are, if you got lost today, nobody will remember you; nobody cares. Nobody should think that he owned the world, Nigeria or even his own family. Sometimes, you will be surprised that some of your children might not even vote for you. That is the funny thing about politics.”

In his remarks, Governor Douye Diri recalled how the late Ayemieye came to him and stood by his wife, Justice Matilda Ayemieye, during the period of her appointment as Chief Judge.

He said although he did not know the deceased before then, from the brief period of their interaction, he heard nothing to the contrary about him from every encomium poured on him at the service.

He said under Justice Ayemieye, the executive has had a peaceful relationship with the judiciary, stressing that the achievements recorded by his government were because the three arms of government in the state worked together.

The governor equally attributed the successes recorded by the Chief Judge to the support and peace from her late husband at home, stating that if there was no peace in the family, it would have reflected in her actions.

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His words, “We know that at times like this, even when a wicked man dies, nobody talks about his wickedness. Everybody talks about the good side of the dead. But for the man lying in state here, from all the interactions we had, I have not heard anything to the contrary.

‎”Since that appointment, I have worked in peace and synergy with the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State and with the Judiciary. Any achievement of this government is because we have worked together. It is not I as governor alone. It is because we have worked together – the executive, legislature and the judiciary.”

Preaching on the theme, “Seeking God’s kingdom,” Bishop of the Niger Delta West Diocese of the Anglican Church, Rt. Rev. Nexon Enekeme, warned Christians against chasing titles, positions and material wealth, saying none of them followed a man to the grave.

‎Rev. Enekeme urged Christians to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and that every other thing shall be added unto them.

Speaking on behalf of the deceased family, immediate past Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dame Didi Walson-Jack, described the late Ayemieye as a very peaceful man, whose life attracted people from across Bayelsa State to his funeral.

Walson-Jack, who said it was an honour to speak on behalf of the Ayemieyes, described herself as a member of the family because of the close relationship between both families, having lived with them.

She stated that through her prodding, the deceased became president of the Port Harcourt branch of the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship because of his love for God.

She appreciated Jonathan, Diri and their wives for their support, prayers and encouragement during the trying time of the family as well as the Niger Delta West Diocese, Chief Judges of other states, and others that travelled to the state to honour a colleague.

At the funeral service were former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, Dr. Gloria Diri, Justice Patience Diri, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe, members of the National Assembly, Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Michael Ogbere, the Chief Judges of Rivers, Delta and Oyo states and other top government officials.