Mourning, Grief and Eulogies as NBA Benin Branch Former Chairman, Oriane C. Akere, Esq., is Laid to Rest.
It was the English Poet -John Donne who posited in his evergreen Poem, “Death be not Proud”, thus:
“Death be not proud, for though they call thee mighty and dreadful.
…For death shall be no more, death thou shall surely die”
And so was the futility of death as former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Benin Branch (the Lion Bar) -Oriane Christopher Akere Esq., popularly known by his sobriquet -“Oriski” came alive, even in death in ceremonies leading to his final interment.
The deluge of Ceremonies many of which was Organised by the Lion Bar to bide its former Chairman goodbye, commenced on Wednesday 4th of March, 2020 with an evening of Tributes for him at the NBA Benin Bar House.
The Ceremony was well attended with the presence of the Chairman of the Lion Bar -the Lion himself -Prince Collins Benson Ogiegbaen AICMC, with the full compliments of the Lion Bar Exco., Two SANs, -Ken E. Mozia SAN and G.C. Igbokwe SAN. Former Chairmen, Bamidele Abina Esq., and Ede Asenoguan, Esq. Countless former Officials and Members of the Bar.
Members of the Bar present at the Evening of Tributes took time out to eulogize the sterling qualities of the dear departed Chairman and prayed for God to repose his Soul.
At the Valedictory Court Session which held in his Honour at High Court 5, Benin City, the splendour of Law and a Lawyer in death was present. The Bar was led to the Ceremony by the Lion Bar Chairman -Prince Collins Benson Ogiegbaen AICMC.
The Chief Judge of Edo State, My Lord, The Hon. Justice Esther Amenaganmwon Edigin F.I.C.M.C, represented by the Hon. Justice Morrison O. Ighodalo, extolled the virtues of the departed Chairman in a well prepared and delivered speech ,that depicted the life and times of Oriski as he was fondly called.
The Lion Bar Chairman, Prince Collins Benson Ogiegbaen AICMC, in his moving speech laced with emotional lines aptly captured the trajectory of Oriane Akere in Life and in Death with references to analogies, vintage axioms and allusions .
The Highpoint of occasion was the traditional moving of the Motion that his mortal remains be removed from the Wells of the Court with Honour and Dignity and interred in his Family House by the Bar with the astute K.O. Obamogie Esq., leading the Bar’s Legal Team and The Solicitor General of Edo State Oluwole Iyamu SAN, representing the Attorney General, leading the State Legal Team. The Motion was not opposed by the State and was graciously granted by the Hon.Justice Morrison O. Ighodalo (Judge), presiding.
6 Other Judges of the Edo State High Court joined in attending the Special Court Session. There were also Senior Advocates of Nigeria, a Bencher and other Senior Lawyers, including about 4 Serving and Former Chairmen from the Sapele, Warri and Asaba Branches of the Nigerian Bar Association.
It was a sight to behold at the Requiem Mass on Friday the 6th of March, 2020 as Lawyers fully robed ushered in the Body of the Late Oriane Akere into the St Paul’s Catholic Church, Benin City, venue of the Ceremony. Lawyers came from far and wide, with the Lion Bar Chairman leading them there.
There were many Senior Advocates of Nigeria and Senior Lawyers present led by Austin Oyarekhua Alegeh, SAN -a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association. Also present were virtually all former Chairmen of the Lion Bar and Many Members and serving /former Officials.
After the Requiem Mass, his Body was taken in Convoy to Ekpoma with a strong delegation of the Bar led by the Secretary of the Lion Bar -Pius Idemudia Oiwoh, Princess P.I. Iyomon former Chairman of the Lion Bar and Jonathan Iyobhebhe, Esq, – the Chairman of the Esan Lawyers’ Forum, The great tribe from which the former Chairman -Oriane Akere was from.
And so it was grief, weeping and lamentation as Oriane Akere’s Body was committed to Mother Earth, with Lawyers all around particularly from the Ekpoma and Uromi Branch who synergised with the Lion Bar at Ekpoma the final resting place of the departed Chairman to bid him a well deserved farewell, with a moot court session in his Honour.
Indeed Ekpoma knew a Lawyer was buried there, this week end as the Long procession in the town, with his Body with Lawyers fully robed caused a stir in the Town, which even led to a traffic gridlock.
There was then Entertainment of Guests at the GRA Area in Benin City, on Saturday the 7th of March, 2020. The Lion Bar Chairman also led the full Exco there. Also present at the Occasion is a Nigerian Bar Association Presidential Hopeful, Olumide Akpata Esq .Guests present reflected on the life and times of the deceased. It was an emotional moment as the only Child of the departed Chairman- Viviani Akhere a young girl of adolescent age, came out to great Guests Present.
And so Oriane Akhere went home in blaze And Glory.
It was Williams Shakespare who said in the Play “Julius Caesar”, that:
“When beggars die, there are no comets seen; the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”
And so was the case of Oriane Akere, Esq., former Chairman of the Lion, like Julius Caesar, “Veni, vedi, Veci”, which in English is paraphrased as “He came, He saw and he conquered”.
May the benign, gentle and benevolent soul of Oriane Chrisopher Akere rest in perfect peace. Amen.
Douglas Ogbankwa Esq.,
Publicity Secretary,
NBA Benin Branch.
See photos:
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