Amatu's Legacies Will Not Be Forgotten In Bayelsa Politics, Says Gov. Diri

 

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on Wednesday, paid glowing tributes to the former State chairman of Environmental Sanitation Authority,  late Mr. Tolu Amatu, saying the deceased will be sorely missed for his contributions towards Bayelsa's political development.

Governor Diri, who stated this at the service of songs held at the DSP Memorial Banquet Hall in honour of the Ekeremor-born politician, said Mr Amatu would not be forgotten in the political history of the state.

Represented by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the Governor noted that there was no best time to die, insisting however, that all the testimonies about the deceased pointed to the fact that he lived a good life.

Describing him as a true mobilizer, philanthropist and compatriot, Governor Diri emphasisd that the Amatu family, Ekeremor LGA, the Bayelsa West Senatorial District, and the entire state have incurred a huge loss following the death of Mr Tolu Amatu.

He, however, encouraged the bereaved especially his wife and children, to take solace in the fact that their benefactor lived a life worthy of emulation through his relationships with God and man.

The State chief executive,  maintained that the crowd at the service of songs was a clear evidence that Amatu positively touched many lives, stressing that it is not how long a person lived but how well that matters.

Governor Diri assured the family that the state government would stand by them to give every necessary support and encouragement to give their son a befitting burial by the weekend.

His words: If Tolu were to die at infancy or at the age of 70, he would still have died. Death is inevitable; when is the best time to die? That is not in our powers and there is no best time to die.

"Hon Tolu Amatu had lived a good life. This mammoth crowd here today for his service of songs is evident that he lived a life worthy of emulation.

"No time would Tolu Amatu be forgotten in the political history of Bayelsa State. He was a mobilizer, compatriot and philanthropist, and we should all propagate what he stood for.

"It is not how long a person lived that really matters, but how well. In life, we have to maintain a vertical relationship with God, and also an horizontal relationship with our fellow men. What is the value of our relationship? For Tolu Amatu, the judgement by all is that he was a good man.

"According to Matthew 25, our kindness to others is service to God. I am sure, Tolu is in heaven at the right hand of God, because the Church has also given the testimony of his good life."

In his sermon, Pastor Salem Samson of the Salvation Ministries, underscored the importance of maintaining the right relationship with God in one's life time.

Drawing his message from Ecclesiastes 3:1-5, the Clergyman emphasized how a man lives on earth determines where he will spent eternity and charged the audience to be godly in their dealings to  make heaven at last.

Goodwill messages were given by a member of the Amatu family, Mr Angeama Jumbo, and political associates of late Hon. Tolu Amatu, including Chief Tiwei Orunmighe, Rt Hon. Tonye Emmanuel Isenah,  Hon Ken Kaiama, as well as Pastor Joshua Akpan.

Notable government functionaries and political chieftains cutting across the different political parties including, the state Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Solomon Agwanana and former Deputy Governor of  Bayelsa State, Chief Peremobowei Ebebi, attended the service of song.