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Plateau State Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang; the Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Emmanuel Akabe; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha; the former Deputy Governor of Imo State, Professor Placid Njoku; and the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, were among the dignitaries who attended the Requiem Mass held in honour of Mama Ezinne Christiana Opara at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, Abuja.
Mama Ezinne Christiana Opara was the mother of Professor John Kennedy Opara, the pioneer Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) and Chairman of CSS Group of Companies.
Also in attendance were the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, Bishop Stephen Adegbite; the senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, Revd Yohanna Amos; the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; the Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Ignatius Kaigama; the Auxiliary Bishop of Abuja, Anselm Umoren; among others.
Speaking after the Mass, Ihedioha said Mama Opara was like a mother to him.
The former Governor of Imo State prayed that God would grant Mama Opara’s soul eternal rest.
“We thank God for her life. We pray that God grants the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” Ihedioha said.
Also speaking, Njoku said that, certainly, from their fruits, people shall know them.
“One has seen what Professor John Opara has done in his lifetime and it is quite clear that he had one of the best upbringings from a mother who cared, and the emotions he displayed today certainly showed that he valued his mother. But God is the ultimate. God decides when everything happens.
“As she has gone, all we can do is to condole him and wish him well,” Njoku said.
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In his remarks, Adegbite said he and Opara had come a long way in the NCPC, adding that he is building on Opara’s legacy.
“There is no way we will not identify with such a person at a time like this. And our mother is our mother. It is not just only Professor John Kennedy that is the son. We are all children of Mama and that is why we are burying her, giving her a befitting burial by the special grace of God,” Adegbite said.
Delivering the homily, Kaigama said that what affects Opara affects the archdiocese, and that his sadness is the sadness of the archdiocese.
Kaigama also said Mama Opara lived well and lived to the age of 83, adding that, judging by the tributes, she was a just woman.
He further said that the lesson he learnt from Mama Opara was to do good to others and that, as people do good to others, the world will become a better place.
Kaigama added that the greatest legacy parents can leave for their children is not property but values — values of faith, integrity and the fear of God, which Mama Opara exemplified so well.
In his remarks, Opara said it had not been easy coming to terms with the death of his mother.
Opara also said Mama Opara taught him many things; she taught him the fear of God, the importance of relationships, and was a source of tremendous strength to him.
