Oil-rich Bille Kingdom of Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State, received a large gathering of high-caliber personalities at its headquarters, Bille Town on Saturday, December 10, 2022. Thinkers, business leaders, top public officials, movers, and shakers of all stripes gathered at Bille town for the burial of Mrs. Tamunomieye Abite Tombomieye — mother of the Executive Director, Upstream Operation of NNPC, Mr. Adokiye Tombomieye.
Those who stormed the town for that burial included former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former President Goodluck Jonathan, Labour party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, and many other great individuals to numerous to mention.
God entrusted us with the responsibility of protecting the basic social units of human society in order to maintain social order and stability and also make positive impacts on life as we contribute to the development of society. A woman of virtue and strong character, Mrs. T.A Tombomieye did all these during her lifetime.
She brought up her children in a godly way to make them useful to society. She also assisted many others to get, in a way they could become great in life, always telling them to run away from things that could ruin one’s character and life and harm or spoil others as well.
And as a result of her commitment to truth and her boldness and vast knowledge, she became a role model to look up to by many people. And was regarded as a great mother, even of her community. This explained why people from far and wide poured into Bille Kingdome that day. And then there was an overflow of souvenirs from friends and families, especially from friends of Engr Adokiye Tombomieye.
“In continuation of the funeral obsequies of Mrs. Tamunomieye Abite Tomobomieye (85-years) we assembled in Bille, an ancient Ijaw Kingdom on Saturday to support her son, our dear friend, Engineer Adokiye Tombomieye.
The biggest surprise of the day was the presence of one of Africa’s most respected statesmen and former President of Nigeria, Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR. He is a father to many of us.”
Wrote Mr Timi Alaibe on his facebook page.
Virtue is its own reward; bad money drives out good; you catch more flies with honey than vinegar; do unto others as they would have them do unto you. These aphorisms are what dominated the life of the late Mrs Tombomieye. And they rubbed on her children.
In Nigeria, and perhaps everywhere, people are apt to suggest that it is hard to make money from a business if one is unbendingly honest. The same goes for politics. But Mrs Tombomieye insisted that trust is the most fundamental requirement for a businessman or woman and also a leader, at whatever level.
To her morality is central to economic activity, and economic activity is an essential element of moral behavior. Morality and economy are indeed two sides of the same coin. This is the logic of Mrs Tombomieye’s doctrine. And for this , she attracted many high profile customers and friends.
She demonstrated with certainty that it is possible to do business without lying. she showed in her own dealings, an evidence that honesty is essential for economy. While conceding that it might be possible to make money from shady dealings, she warned that such profits could never be sustained.
The quite town of Bille needed a champion, and it found one in Mrs Tombomieye. Determined to achieve excellence, she built her business into a trading powerhouse and continued to spread out to other lines of business. She became successful quickly. And her fame spread the popularity of the town, and the entire Bille kingdom, leading a crop of people who turned its fortune around, driving a gargantuan hit in popularity.
She pushed for more aggressive promotion of the place’s image by mobilizing Bille women in Portharcourt to rally round whatever was to be done to improve life in Bille kingdom.
Equally, she was a lover of education, who passionately encouraged young ones to improve on their education and life skills. In this way, she pushed young people’s career, in different fronts.
Apart from secular issues, Mrs Tombomieye was also a great christain and a good mother. She rose to prominence in leadership and became a household name in Bille kingdom and beyond.
This explained why Bille kingdom felt like it could have sprung straight from a fairytale on the day of her burial. This was because of her sterling contributions to the lives of a lot of people, beyond her own immediate family. She was a rest stop of comfort carved by Mother Nature,. She was a fashion champion and a tranquil pocket of beauty, discipline, hard work and integrity, who provided stepping stones, giving passage across challenges and difficulties to so many people. She was loyal to friendship and never abandoned any of her friends in difficulty.
Between the day of her death to the time she was buried, many fine tributes were paid to this great woman who contributed immensely to the development of society. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo described her as a woman of courage, great strength and philantrophy who was committed to education and hardwork and was dedicated to God. And in his own message, he wrote.
” I write to express my sincere and heartfelt condolences to you, your family and the community on the demise of your beloved mother and matriarch of the Tombomieye family. Though mama has joined the saints triumphant, all who came in contact with her will continue to remember her kindness, selfishness and benevolence.
Mama was a dedicated lover of God and the things of His kingdom. She was a woman of courage, great strength and philantrophy. These attributes made her outstanding during her lifetime and will continue to live in the hearts and memories of all who came in contact with her. Mama’s commitment to education and hardwork produced an illustrious son, Adokiye who has since become the The Group Executive Director, Upstream of NNPC-largest Corporate entity in Afrca!
Adokiye, no doubt mama will be greatly missed by you, your siblings, extended family, community and all who are beneficiaries of her benevolence. Mama lived a good life and left and excellent legacy. I pray that the Lord comfort you, your siblings, family, community and all who mourn her loss. May he grant you the fortitude to ear this great loss and may her gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”
Former President Goodluck Jonathan in his message to the family wrote. “I commiserate with you, your family and your community on the loss of your dear mother, Mrs Tamunmiete Abite Tombomieye. Though mama has joined the heavenly hosts, her benevolent acts of charity, selflessness, and love of neighbor will not be forgotten. Her demise is a sad loss to to you and your family, not just for the bond you shared but for her wisdom and exemplary care, having brought up worthy leaders and reliable members of our society like goo yourself. She will be surely missed by all who knew her especially for her generosity towards all and sundry. Although, I was not privileged to meet your mother, I know how much she meant to you. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this your time of grief. Please, be consoled by the fact that your mother led a virtous life and has joined the saints. Once again, accept my sincere condolences and her gentle soul find rest in God’s bossom.”
Chief of General Staff, General Leo Irabor, in his own message to the family described Tombomieye’s death as a great loss to the family and the entire Bille Kingdom.
“It is with heavy heart that I, on behalf of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, express my deepest condolences to you and the entire Tombomieye family over the demise of your beloved mother, Mrs Tamunomiete Abite Tombomieye. The passing of such a quintessential Matriach at the age of 85 is a great loss to the family and to the entire Bille Kingdom of Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State . I reckon that Mama has always been one of your greatest supporters, a loving and caring mother as well as a solid pillar through the years. Iam certain that the memories of her passing will tend to arouse pain and jpy in all who knew her closely. Pain as the values and inspiration will no longer come from her l while on the other hand, joy as these values remain eternally ingrained in our hearts. Our humble prayer is that the almighty God, in his infinite mercy, grant you and the entire Tombomieye family to the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. Kindly accept my sincere condolences and solidarity as we continue to pray that Mama’s gentle soul find repose in the bosom of the Almighty God.” Leo Irabor
Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, Group CEO NNPC Limited in his own message titled Tribute to Mama, he wrote: “We lost you. We thank God for making you the mother of an amazing son. Adoks is an epitome of of friendship and loyalty to friendship. He couldn’t have been what he is if not for the upbringing ypu gave him, which also resonates with other members of the family. It is clearly a great loss to all your loved ones and we also suffer collatweral loss as we continue to remember the great friend you gave us. Adieu Mummy”
The palace of the amanyanabo of Bille, signed by King Igokinger Ngowai Cornelius Herbert described her as a community leader and a person who never allowed bad behavior. “Late Mrs T.A Tombomieye was a strict disciplinarian. She never condoned unethical behaviour. Her joy was in the education of children. Hence, she gave the best education to her children and utterly in love with children of other families who were also academically bright. She was an astute community activist; she mobilized Bille women for Bille community Portharcourt activities. She was a fashion leader of her time. Late Mrs T.A Tombomieye could be fondly remembered for many more contrinbutions to families and society. Ma, as she was fondly called, rest in the bosom of the Lord.”
Peter Gregory Obi described Mrs Tombomieye in glowing terms. He wrote. “On behalf of my family, I wish to commiserate with you on the passing on of your beloved mother, Mrs Tamunomiete Abite Tombomieye. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this challenging time. Her death has created a vacuum in your family and the entire Bille Kingdom. Mama’s legacies are exemplified in her children. Through hard work, she raised a son who is a Group Executive Director in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. As we mourn her departure from this world,I pray that hwer honesty, Godliness, philantrophy and love for humanity will be upheld by you and your siblings. May God grant her eternal rest, and grant all those who mourn her, the fortitude to bear her irreplaceable loss. God Almighty continue to protect, bless you and your family.”
Dr Alabo Ibitamino Dennis Minapakama , a younger brother, Mrs Tombomieye’s described her as a no nonsense woman, saying: honesty, humility, hardwork, self confidence and selfless service were parts of her.
“I had the privilege to live with my beloved sister in my secondary school days where you thought me self-discipline and self respect. Little did I know that you were preparing me to take responsibilities ahead of time. Ma you did not allow your children to take laws into our hands. Even at the point of my installation as a chief, you were solidly behind me as a mother. Indeed, you were a mother of purpose, vision, strength and a role model in character and virtue. You imbibed in us the beauty of life draped in honesty, humility, hardwork, self confidence and selfless service. Above all, your ability to praise God in singing is equal to none. Indeed, you were a no nonsense woman. You were an achiever whose life was worthy of emulation, one who was a determined goal getter and of course a diligence pace setter. May you be received by your creator as your Exiimious soul flaps exhilaratingly to His bosom. Goodbye.”
Mr Innocent G Dein, (a foster son ) acknowledged Mrs Tombomieye’s effort at making others become better, saying: “My dearest Aunt, what a blessing and privilege it was to have you as part of our family particularly in my life? Ma, you lived a remarkable life full of emulation. You ‘ll always be alive in my heart because I will never forget your kindness towards me. All the good food we ate at home and advice you gave us to stay in school and read our books to become better tomorrow. Whenever you got angry at us, it was to correct our bad behaviours for what we had done wrong.
Ma, you worked hard for so many years. Whenever I think about the last six years of your life here on earth, I get too emotional and sometimes shed tears. Only God knows why. Ma you left us a remarkable living legacy here on earth that will take several years and decades to surpass. May the Lord be with you till we meet again.”
These are some of the testaments about this great woman who gave the world Engr Adokiye Tomobomiye. She was the mother of the Bille Kingdom in many ways than one.
But what’s very special about her was the fact that she loved helping people succeed . She ably assisted many to become successful, with each now making an undeniable contributions to society.
Memories will linger, for long, about her enabling able bright students in the community to achieve their dreams. So also are all her other contributions to society and life.
The burial of this great woman opened the eyes of many to the potentials in Bille Kingdom. It is a vast tourist site that has existed for ages. But despite its many years of existence, the place has suffered neglect, in terms of development. Given the push and pull factors that attract development, Bille has what it takes to attract investors, especially those in tourism industry and fishing industry, with potentials for Rivers State and Nigeria at large.
Aside from being a fishing community, it has large volumes of hydrocarbon deposits as a host community to Shell BP before the emergence of Eroton Exploration and Production (E&P) Nigeria Limited and the New Cross Exploration and Production (E&P) Nigeria limited.
So Bille kingdom deserves to have some government presence , especially the ones that can propel trade and commerce. The Rivers state government should, as a matter of urgency, assign ferries to the Portharcout-Bille route. Doing so will remove the heavy burden of high transport fares on the people. It will also prevent cases of overloading boat. Overloading of boats poses a threat to the safety of passengers. With ferries that carry passengers at low-cost through the waterway from Port Harcourt, the interests of regular travel to and from Bill for business will be aroused further in the people, especially operators of local SMEs.
Along with these ferries comes the need for building of a large jetty to be located in Bille town. Of course, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike renovated and commissioned the Bille Jetty in Port Harcourt in 2021. There is need for another one at the Bille end- a jetty in the town itself. This will better secure travellers and tourists en-route Bille from Port Harcourt.
These two projects can be done by the Rivers state government. The Federal government , on its own need to put an outlet of the National Inland waterways Authority (NIWA) in Bille town to aid easy and more efficient waterway transport service. These three things will benefit youth and women tremendously, as they will drive commerce and transportation. They will drive prosperity as the people of the area are very resourceful and progress minded.
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