36 Bishops attend colleague’s mother’s funeral in Ekiti

Rasaq IBRAHIM

No fewer than 36 Anglican bishops from different parts of the country joined other distinguished Nigerians to attend the funeral of Madam Elizabeth Idowu Adepoju, mother of the Bishop of Ekiti West Diocese Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Rt. Rev. Rufus Ajileye Adepoju.

The funeral service which held at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Iropora-Ekiti, in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area, was also attended by the Ekiti Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; Head of Service, Mr. Ayodeji Ajayi and Deputy Speaker Hakeem Jamiu.

Some of the senior bishops in attendance include the Archbishop of Lagos Province and Bishop of Remo, the Most Rev. Michael Olusina Fape; Archbishop of Ondo Province and Bishop of Akoko, the Most Rev. Gabriel Akinbiyi, among others.

Delivering the sermon, Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Christopher Tayo Omotunde, who extolled the virtues of the deceased, urged her children never to depart from the path of faith, love for God and fellow human beings and piety she exhibited in her lifetime.

In his sermon titled “It will get to your turn one day”, Omotunde emphasised that death is the end of human beings who must repent and turn to God before the end comes.

Omotunde also urged the congregation and other Nigerians from living what he called “fake and empty lives.”

The bishop said: “The most unfortunate thing in life is that man does not remember that he will die one day and what are we pursuing in this world?

“Whatever you are pursuing in this world, you are pursuing vanity because when you die you cannot take anything away. ‘’

Speaking on behalf of the children, the Rt. Rev. Adepoju said his mother lived a fulfilled life and bequeathed legacies of service of God to them.

The Bishop of Ekiti West said she endured adversities of life, including having to live without her husband for 34 years before she transited to the world beyond.

Bishop Adepoju said the children were fulfilled that their mother saw her children and grandchildren prosper in life after investing in them spiritually, physically, educationally, among others.

He later led the congregation to launch an assessment appeal fund in aid of the family’s local parish, St. Peter’s Anglican Church Iropora-Ekiti.