By: Ike Philip Abiagom
The ancient town of Abavo,Delta State stood still yesterday as the remains of Pa Joe Onyibe,nonagenarian father, the Publisher of Ika Weekly and veteran journalist were on Saturday laid to rest at his residence in Abavo, amid tears and wailing.
Pa Onyibe, an accomplished and renowned journalist, passed on to glory after a brief illness. Until his death, Onyibe was the Publisher of Ika Weekly and a member of Association of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigerian(ACNPN) and Nigeria Union of Journalist(NUJ).
His body was lowered to Mother Earth at exactly 12:40 pm shortly after the funeral mass and the atmosphere was sombre at his residence. At his graveside, tears rolled down faces of both immediate family members and other mourners, expressing anguish over a great loss.
Members of Association of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigerian(ACNPN) led by its State Chairman, Comrade Ike Philip Abiagom, as well as editors from various media houses in Delta State,and parish members were on hand to pay their last respect to Pa Onyibe.
Before the commencement of the requiem mass, the body was reverently placed by the pallbearers at the entrance of the Church to be received by the priest with the ministers bearing the cross, lighted candles, holy water, the Holy Bible, and a white pall as symbols of faith and eternal life.
Presiding over the requiem mass, the Reverend , preaching from first and second readings respectively, hailed the late Pa Onyibe as a man who lived a life of impact.
The Reverend, who described Onyibe’s death as sudden, said he was a man known for offering support to the church and for helping those around him to shine, also hailed him as a committed family man.
The Reverend described the late Onyibe as a man of courage to the very end. He called friends and associates of late Onyibe not to forsake and abandon his family after the burial.
Speaking on behalf of the Association of Community Newspaper Publishers of Nigerian(ACNPN),Comrade Ike Philip Abiagom, described the late Onyibe as a dedicated and thorough-bred professional who distinguished himself in his career as a Community Newspaper Publishers.
He conveyed the sympathy of the members and prayed that God should give the family fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, while urging the family to take solace in the fact that Onyibe had lived a fulfilled life.
late Onyibe was a father, a kinsman and somebody most of us looked onto in journalism, his death though shocking, quite surprising too, we are hoping that God will console his family and the rest of us who will still carry on the mantle he has left within journalism space, we will continue to make him proud and do all we can do.
“And another point is that for our colleagues, journalists, when you are in in need, in trouble or ill always pick up your phone, a problem shared is sometimes half solved, a good number of us were not even aware that he was ill until it was too late, and I am hoping that going forward some of these incidents will be prevented, and if our colleagues are in need and they need us, we should always be our brothers keeper, like the Bible prescribe, and I pray for the repose of his soul.”
Pa Joe Onyibe’s son,Pastor Stephen Onyibe, said the hearts of the family were heavy for losing a father who was always there for the family, noting that what made his late father great was not only his professional brilliance but his humanity.
“He gave love freely, valued honesty above all, and carried himself with humility that made everyone feel seen and respected. He was comfortable in the profession as he was with his family, and to us, he was our foundation and strength,”he said.
He thanked relatives, colleagues, and friends for honouring their late father in a special way.
He said: “We appreciate our relatives, who stood by us from the very beginning, colleagues and church members who came from far and near. It has enlightened us that we are not walking this road alone”.