President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria has much to learn from the life of hard work and perseverance lived by Governor David Umahi’s late mother, Deaconess Margaret Umahi.

Buhari, at the burial of Deaconess Umahi in Uburu, Ohaozara LGA, on Friday, said hard work and perseverance by Nigerians would enable the country overcome its current economic and security challenges.

The President, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr. Babachir Lawal, noted that the governor’s mother, as an orphan at a very young age and a peasant farmer, tackled and conquered poverty through hard work and perseverance.

He said that the late matriarch of the Umahi family had through hand work trained her children and was able to produce personalities such as a state governor, a major-general, lawyer, engineer, traditional ruler and chartered accountant.

“We are all witnesses to these feats achieved by the late Deaconess and at a time when the country is faced with economic and security challenges, Nigeria has a lot to learn from her dint of hard work and perseverance. Here, we are gathered to celebrate a life of successes. Deaconess Umahi bequeathed a lot of legacies before her exit,” the President remarked.

The wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, represented by the wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs Gimbia Dogara, thanked the people of Ebonyi State for being behind their governor at this trying time. She noted that the governor’s mother left legacies that would ever remain fresh in the minds of the people.

A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in his remarks described the late Mrs Umahi as a great unifier of the family, community, government and opposition and indeed, the entire state of Ebonyi.

He said: “What we are witnessing here is not just the burial of a great woman; it is the celebration of a worthy life. Deaconess Umahi was a great unifier of her family, community, government and opposition and, indeed, the entire Ebonyi State. You can see here that because of her, both the people in opposition and the ruling parties are gathered here. She was indeed a great unifier of persons.”

He congratulated the children for the legacies their mother passed on to them before she died.

On his part, Governor Umahi chronicled what his mother represented in his life and the lives of the entire family members while alive. He said she meant a lot to him such that he would want her to be his mother in the next world, assuming such existed.

He said he would strive to keep the legacies of his late mother, just as he assured of the preparedness of the entire family to continue to standby what their mother represented while alive.

Umahi expressed his warm gratitude to friends, associates, relations and well wishers who came to be with him and the entire Umahi family during the funeral.

The funeral also witnessed the presence of Dame Patience, wife the immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan; former President of the Senate, Anyim Pius Anyim; Governors of Niger, Kebbi, Imo, Jigawa, Abia, Gombe, Rivers, Enugu, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Ondo, Zamfara, Sokoto, Plateau and deputy governors of Akwa Ibom and Kogi states.

Other dignitaries were former governor of Ebonyi State, Dr Sam Egwu, and wife, Eunice; former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; former governor of Abia State, Theodore A Orji; Founder of the Christ Ascension Church Nigeria, Reverend Ogbonaya Nwoye Godwin; Emir of Bauchi represented by Prof. Musa Messari of Faculty of Education University of Abuja; General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Church Chidi Okoroafor, and members of the National Working Committee of the PDP led by the Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff.

Also in attendance were five ministers, among them those of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, and his Science Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu; the Alake of Egbaland, Michael Aremu Gbadebo; Ex-Senate President Ken Nnamani, National Assembly members, and a business mogul, Chief Arthur Eze.

Activities for the funeral of Deaconess Margaret Umahi were concluded on Sunday with a Thanksgiving Service in her honour which attracted several dignitaries, among them Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

•Photo by Ebonyi State Government shows Governor David Umahi and Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, during a Thanksgiving Service in honour of the mother of the governor in Uburu on Sunday.