HOUSE OF REPS MEMBER BURIED IN ONDO AS WIFE FAINTS AT FUNERAL

The funeral of the lawmaker who represented Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal
Constituency of Ondo State in the House of Representatives, Mr.
Raphael Nomiye, was almost stalled at the weekend when his widow,
Nabi, slumped during the ceremony.
The programme was suspended until she was revived.
The Chief of Staff to Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Kola Ademujimi, a
medical doctor, led the widow to the Okitipupa State Hospital, where
she was attended to by specialists.
House of Representatives' Speaker Aminu Tambuwal; his deputy, Emeka
Ihediorah, and Mimiko wept uncontrollably at the solemn ceremony.
Tambuwal and Mimiko described the late Nomiye (50) as an unassuming,
generous and cultured politician, who contributed immensely to the
development of his people.
Tambuwal described Nomiye's death as a big loss to Ondo State and the
National Assembly.
He pledged that the National Assembly would stand by the deceased's family.
Tambuwal said: "On November 21, the late Nomiye politely accosted me
on my way from the legislative chamber and invited me to an award
ceremony slated for November 23 in Akure, where he was to be honoured
as the Ondo State Man of the Year. I told him to clarify the date from
my chief of staff to see whether I would be engaged or not. He
returned and said I was not engaged that day.
"From the bottom of my heart, I agreed to grace the occasion, not
knowing that would be my last encounter with him. The following day,
they phoned me that he had died."
Mimiko burst into tears as Nomiye's remains were lowered into the grave.
He prayed to God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.
In his sermon, Pastor Akinkolurejo of the Christ Apostolic
Church, Oke-Itura in Okitipupa described the late Nomiye as a humble
man, who dedicated his life to God.
Quoting John 14 and Revelation 22, he said everybody would account for
his or her work on the judgment day.
The late Nomiye, popularly known as Groovy, slumped and died in his
Abuja home on November 22 after a meeting with some of his friends.