Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has described the late mother of Ebonyi State Governor, Deaconess Margaret Umahi, as a “Christian icon and a great mother of the state.”

Speaking at the Osborn La-palm Hotel Event Centre, Agu-Ugwu Umunaga, Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area, during a thanksgiving service in honour of Deaconess Umahi, Osinbajo noted that the deceased was being celebrated for living a very useful life in the service of God and humanity.

He said he would not be among those praying for the repose of the soul of the governor’s mother because he was sure that she was already resting in the bosom of the Lord.

Osinbajo, who is a Senior Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), disclosed that he had always found the contributions of Governor David Nweze Umahi during National Economic Council meetings very useful and “progressive”. He expressed confidence that “this (Ebonyi) state would prosper under the leadership of Engr. David Umahi.”

The Vice-President appealed to all privileged Nigerians to use their natural endowments to affect the lives of others positively in the society.

In his remarks, Governor Umahi appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari and Osinbajo for their show of love for the state and his family.

The governor, who described President Buhari and the Vice-President Osinbajo as special gifts to the country, commended their non-discriminatory style of leadership and efforts to unite the country.

He appealed to the Federal Government to give Ebonyi special consideration to enable it overcome its peculiar developmental challenges.

In a homily, the General Pastor and founder of Dominion City Church, Pastor Chuks Ogbueli, charged the people to draw closer to God.

Ogbueli, who spoke on the theme “Discovering the usefulness of life”, observed that there were two types of lives – wasted life and invested life.

He explained that lives spent on the pursuit of immoralities and selfish ambitions were wasted lives, while lives spent in a cultivated relationship with God, in loving your neighbours and improving the lives of others, were invested lives which yield proceeds in returns.

Ogbueli urged the people to emulate the life of the late Deaconess as one could only be remembered by the problems he created or the problems he solved.

Maj.-Gen. Obi Umahi, on behalf of the children of the deceased, promised to continue to undertake the sponsorship and training of the less privileged ones hitherto undertaken by their mother. He also said that the family had resolved to build a model church for the Christ Ascension Church, Uburu, in memory of their mother.

The thanksgiving service featured prayers for the nation, the state and the Joseph Nweze Umahi family.