SAN FRANCISCO, September 13, (THEWILL) – Close friends and family of Magnus Onyibe, one time commissioner in Delta State gathered together at Ebony Vault, James George street in Ikoyi, Lagos, to mark the fifth month since Kikaose Ebiye-Onyibe, his beautiful daughter passed way following unsuccessful surgery to remove ruptured appendix at the Gold Cross hospital in the southwestern state.
Recall that the 18-years-old deceased, who was a second year law undergraduate at Birmingham University, United Kingdom, took ill and her ailment was misdiagnosed by medical authorities in Bourne Brooke varsity medical Centre in Birmingham, England, who failed to conduct a CT scan on her lower abdomen, a procedure that could have properly identified her ailment. Consequently, she was being treated with the wrong medication for nearly four months. According to family sources, when Kikaose returned to Nigeria, and the family doctor recommended a CT scan, it was discovered that Kikaose’s appendix had ruptured and therefore needed a surgical procedure to remove. She passed away in the process.
Amongst those who paid tribute to her at the brief ceremony to unveil her headstone was Mr. Tony Elumelu, Chairman of HEIRS Holding and UBA Group, who extolled Kikaose’s father’s uncommon love for his daughter by keeping her memory alive through several activities centered around her life.
Udo Okonjo, country managing director of Fine & Country, whose first child was Kikaose’s class mate in secondary school noted that although Kikaose has passed away prematurely, owing to her unique attributes as a child evangelist and the significance of the fact that she passed away on April 12, 2017, the holiest month in Christendom when Jesus Christ was sacrificed for the reconciliation of mankind with God, her footprints in her short life have remained ingrained in the sands of time.
Kikaose’s aunty, Mrs. Amina Sanni noted that she was very God fearing and she recalled going shopping with her to purchase key rings which she branded Jesus Loves You and used in welcoming newly admitted students in University of Birmingham where she was leading a Christian campus fellowship.
Princess Nwabiani Ikenchukwu of Agbor Royal family, in an emotion laden voice noted that a man does not have to bury his child, but pointed out that if God in his infinite wisdom decided to call Kikaose home prematurely, we have no choice but to thank the almighty for His gift of life for those living.
The officiating priests, pastor Wole Olaide and Kunle Olukunle, both of whom also presided over Kikaose’s service of songs five months ago, noted that she lived an exemplary life. They pointed out that although they did not personally meet Kikaose before her sudden passage, their research on her from the Internet based on testimonies were so positive that she stands out as the person with the most positive comments and testimonials about virtues and righteousness in their experience of officiating in service of songs. They said that they had no doubt that Kikaose was in the bosom of God and reminded the audience of how transient life is and why they have to draw closer to their creator by being righteous inwardly and outwardly.
Kikaose’s father stated that he has kept the tragic loss of his beloved daughter in public view to keep other Nigerians abreast of the gaps in medical service delivery in England, so that other parents can learn from the unfortunate incident in order that another child does not die under similar circumstances. He thanked all the friends and family members who have been showing support throughout what he described as the darkest period of his life via visits and telephone calls since the sad incident and thanked God for giving him the privilege of being the father of an angelic girl that lived such an exemplary life.
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