By Oyintokoni Joel , Yenagoa
It was an emotional moment in Yenagoa at the weekend as members of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) Course 31, Bayelsa Forum, paid a condolence visit to one of their own, Mrs. Marian Oruks Otuku, over the death of her beloved father.
The visit, which took place on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at her residence along White House Road, Agudama-Epie, Yenagoa, was led by the Chairman of the Forum, Mr. Benjamin Wonkoya, in company of other members.
The Forum said the visit was to identify with their colleague in her moment of grief and to show solidarity as one family bound by brotherhood.
Speaking during the visit, the Chairman, Mr. Wonkoya, said the news of the death came as a shock to the entire Forum.
According to him, “Weeks ago I met her at Stanford Pharmacy buying drugs for her sick father. I prayed for her father. So when the Secretary, Chris Mark, called me to say Marian lost her father, it came to me as a very big shock.”
Wonkoya described Mrs. Otuku as a very committed and dedicated colleague, a motherly figure whose door is always open to members.
He assured her that the Forum will fully participate in the burial activities, adding, “We are going to be part and parcel of this burial. We will give you moral support, we will pray for you and we will be there that day. This burial is our burial. You are not alone, we are with you.”
Other members, who spoke in their separate remarks, shared their personal experiences of losing their fathers and urged the bereaved family to be strong and take solace in God.
According to them, “If it has not happened to you, you will not understand. There is a time God will call a man to glory. It has happened, it has happened. In all things we should give thanks to God.”
They prayed God to strengthen Mrs. Otuku and her siblings, noting that “when God allows a father to go, God Himself becomes the Father to the fatherless. He will provide.”
They further advised the family to come together and ensure a befitting burial for the deceased, describing him as a man who lived a fulfilled life.
The Secretary of the Forum, Mr. Chris Mark, in his remarks, said the visit was in line with the spirit of love and solidarity that binds ANAN Course 31 together.
Responding, a visibly emotional Mrs. Otuku expressed gratitude to the Forum for the visit.
She said, “I am overwhelmed. Thank you for coming to condole with me on the death of my great father. I don’t know how to express myself, but I welcome you all.”
She thanked members who came in person and those who had reached out earlier, noting that while the family is still in mourning, they take consolation in God.
“I appreciate your coming. They say one thing must kill a man, and he is gone. Thank you for coming to visit me. May the Almighty God bless all of you,” she added.
The Forum offered prayers for the repose of the soul of the deceased and for God to grant the Otuku family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Members present at the condolence visit included the Chairman, Mr. Benjamin Wonkoya; Secretary, Mr. Chris Mark; Mrs. Diepreye Otobo; Forum End of Year Planning Committee Chairman, Mr. Exodus Ambayai; Mr. David Baramami; Mr. Enomotimi Ikidi; Mr. Fortune Igrubia and Prince Lionel.
