On Friday, 24th March, 2017, a delegation of staffers from the Head Office of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Abuja-FCT, paid a condolence visit to the deceased wife of one late colleague of theirs, Late Mr. Philemon Orban Udeh, who until his demise, was a staffer of the Abuja Study Centre of the Institute’s Training School.

Addressing the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Beatrice Nguamo Udeh, on behalf of Management and Staff, the Acting Chairman of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Services Employee (AUPCTRE), NICO Branch, Comrade Dada Muyiwa Ezekiel, conveyed the condolence from staffers over the sad incidence, assuring that the Institute will not leave her alone.

His words: “The Management and Staff of NICO have asked us to again, convey their condolences over the death of your husband, who was more of a friend and brother than a colleague to us. They have further asked us to inform you that they are with you, in this moment of grief, and will continue to stand by you”.

Continuing, he said: “We had planned to show our solidarity, while your late husband was still alive, though sick on a hospital bed. We were even contributing our little token to help assist with his hospital bills; little did we know that the inevitable will happen. But we still give God the glory for His works”.

The NICO AUPCTRE Acting Chairman also assured the family that Management has also given the assurance that they will expedite action on any other follow up with regards to his benefits, in line with the extant rules.

While sharing her experience, Mrs. Loretta Enwezo of the Legal Unit, who also lost her husband a few years ago, encouraged Mrs. Udeh not to be too sorrowful but hold unto God in this phase of life, as well as pick solace in her daughter and ensure she takes good care of her in order not to make her feel a vacuum has been created following the death of her father.

“I am happy meeting you like this. We didn’t want to come in and see you crying. For me, I have been there before. I lost my husband on the 18th of June, 2014. He died in my hands and that meant to me that he felt safe in my hands and that was what consoled me most.

“You are not the first to lose a husband; and you will not be the last. So, no matter what people will tell you and no matter how you cry, the one that will work for you is the one you tell yourself. For me, what consoled me was my children because they look up to me to be taken care of in this earthly world; and I told myself this thing one night that made me to stop crying. I don’t know if you have told yourself this one”.

Mrs. Enwezo continued: “I also want you to take this as a challenge that has come your way; but in God, you can triumph. Some people when their husband dies, they go into endless crying and too much thinking, which does not help. So, be strong and look at your child and then if possible, whatever you lay your hands on, please be serious with”.

While reiterating that late Mr. Philemon Udeh had numerous good testimonies among colleagues during his death, Mrs. Loretta Enwezo regretted his demise but picked solace in the fact that people he worked with had good testimonies about him, urging her to see it as a reason for inner peace and for her to buckle up and move on with life.

In her response, the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Beatrice Nguamo Udeh, who said she was overwhelmed and short of words, over the show of love from her late husband’s office, expressed deep appreciation to staffers of NICO, saying, “I sincerely want to appreciate you, the management and entire staff of NICO, both present and those that are not, for standing by me and my family through this trying time.

“It is very clear to me that the people working in NICO are loving and caring people. The death of my husband has really made me to see that he had people, who loved and still love him, even when he is not here; and I don’t want to take that for granted.”

Mrs. Udeh, further said, “I really appreciate the love and assistance you people showed me right from before the time of his death, during the burial, and even now. Please, when you return, kindly extend my sincere appreciation to the Management and entire staff of your Institute, for deeming it fit to send you to me.”

During the visit, the delegation handed over a token of two hundred thousand naira (N200,000.00) as contributed by Management and Staff of the Institute at the Abuja Head Office to support the family.

Caleb Nor

Media Assistant to ES

NICO HQ, Abuja