Our Rose is gone!

By Emmanuel Nicholas

A man’s life unfolds like a flower: it blossoms in the morning, wilts by noon, bows in the evening, and ultimately falls to the dust at night.

This cycle is an inevitability that money cannot prevent, tears cannot halt, and wailing cannot redeem. It is an affliction that love cannot erase.

Every person must face their day of reckoning with death; every sky experiences moments of darkness as well as light—events that no one can predict or postpone.

When the call of death arrives, loved ones may scramble desperately to save a life, but the one who governs the vast expanse above knows precisely when the time has come to sound the bell for a return home.

The cries of children, the groans of the elderly, and the wisdom of medical professionals cannot alter the course we must all take: to depart from our earthly bodies and return to our creator.

One event changed the course of my life forever. I was watching Senior Prophet T.B. Joshua live on Emmanuel TV as he preached to the congregation on the prayer mountain.

As he concluded his message, he remarked on the dual nature of life: a time to preach and a time to return home to God. Just minutes later, CNN announced the heartbreaking news of his passing.

Oh, the beautiful rose of Governor Umo Bassey Eno, you never warned us that you would face the trials of life and share a humble existence with him in a small roadside restaurant and left without your reward.

Together, you rode bicycles, experienced the thrill of a second-hand motorcycle, and drove in that used car as the days of glory unfolded before you. Yet, in the midst of this triumph, you chose to bid farewell.

When he embarked on building a five-room hotel, you stood by him, providing the encouragement he needed to construct a four-star establishment. As he began his ministry, many mocked him, but you remained steadfast, seeing the grace others overlooked.

How can you vanish like a candle flickering in the wind? How did you dry up like the Dead Sea? Why have you suddenly turned away from the throne that your prayers helped establish?

You fought like a great warrior, venturing into uncharted territory, yet returned home triumphant with your bounty. How could you abandon the feast just as it began?

You were more than just a wife; you were his source of comfort. You chose to close your eyes to his flaws and open them to his strengths, never seeking to undermine him but always striving to uplift him.

In the face of life’s challenges, you spoke to his heart, awakening the giant within him. When he felt like a failure, especially during difficult beginnings, you encouraged him with words of hope, reminding him that he was destined for greatness.

Even when he wronged you, you forgave him with a warm smile. You spent sleepless nights nurturing his health and stood by him in prayer during crises, ensuring that the storms of life eventually passed.

You never abandoned him during turbulent times. The gold that others see and admire today was the star you recognized in him when many overlooked his potential.

You married him without wealth and chose to be the mother of his children even when there was no space to accommodate your dreams. You willingly slept on the bare floor to honuor the bed he lay on.

You took it upon yourself to spare him the cries of your children, shouldering the responsibilities of a devoted wife and loving mother. Just as you cared for your little ones, you doted on their father as if he were a newborn.

You were an extraordinary character, willing to go hungry to ensure your husband and children were well fed. You toiled late into the night on your sewing machine, supporting him with your modest earnings. Oh, what a remarkable wife and mother you were! How I wish for the days of your queenship that you did not disappear.

Your departure startled many around the world. How could such a bright star suddenly go dark, like an early morning eclipse? How could a voice once vibrant and powerful be silenced amidst the storms? How could you leave the feast at the height of your celebration?

You were a beautiful rose—flawless, embodying grace and character that captivated everyone. Calm and radiant, you transcended the boundaries of hatred and spread your honour far and wide.

You treated those in your care, including your maid, with the same kindness you showed your children. No one under your protection was ever made to feel like a servant; instead, you fostered a sense of equality among all your children and friends.

You were like honey, sweet and cherished. Kings valued your sweetness, yet while they hoped to bask in your love and care, you walked into the river, choosing not to return, even as their tears transformed into an ocean.

Your death has truly sent your husband into a tailspin. Who knew he’d suddenly become an orphan at his age? Forget that he lost both parents before; now he’s really feeling it because the ultimate caregiver and life coach—aka you—has left the building.

If only we could catch death and give him a piece of our minds! We’d chase him down like a rogue dog stealing our lunch. But alas, death is as elusive as a bad politician’s promise. All we can do is wallow in pains, like a bad hangover after a night of questionable choices.

But let’s face it: no mere mortal can snatch your life away without divine approval. After all, God has assured us that not a single hair on His child’s head goes missing without His knowledge.

Your departure has turned the fireworks on full blast. So many relied on you, from those you fed to the ones you educated. You practically had a hand in launching careers! Truly, you were a remarkable woman—a superhero without a cape, leaving behind a legacy that even death couldn’t erase, try as he might.

Your husband, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, fought valiantly against death, using both medical science and fervent prayers, yet death remained unyielding, like a merciless lion.

A merciless lion shows no mercy to its prey, devouring even the youngest antelope without a second thought. Oh, our Rose, you have departed, but you will never be forgotten.

You were a foundation of hope, an angel who lifted others to shine like stars, a wellspring of knowledge and wisdom, and someone who sought no revenge against those who betrayed her.

As a mother, your role was to unite, never to divide. We have lost our guiding light; our beautiful Rose is gone. Who among us can ever find her again?

How can we break free from the chains of death? How can humanity conquer this inevitable fate? Yet, as I observe the way people harm one another in their pursuit of wealth, I can’t help but wonder: when death comes for them, what will they take with them to their lonely graves?

They may rise to power in hidden realms, yet they still face death. They may become the foremost practitioners of witchcraft, but in the end, they too must die. Even the wealthiest individuals in the world cannot escape this fate.

So, to those who kill and destroy to achieve their ambitions, I ask: When death comes calling, what will you take to the grave?

Whenever I witness men humiliating others to assert their dominance, tormenting individuals to elevate themselves, or frustrating others to achieve their own success,

I can’t help but wonder if they ever reflect on their mortality. It troubles me to see them use fellow human beings as mere sacrifices in their quest for wealth.The wealth they will never take to the grave.

Our Rose laboured endlessly, as if bound by chains. In acknowledgment of her tireless dedication, she received a throne—yet this noble soul departed without claiming a single piece for herself.

I can’t help but ponder how our Governor will cope in the absence of the woman who was both his backbone and his solace. How will he sit down to dinner, only to turn and find that the rose has vanished?

Dear leader, take solace in the knowledge that she lived a life of virtue. One day, you will reunite, never to be separated again. May your light continue to shine, guiding her home as a testament to your unwavering kindness.

Oh our beautiful! Will you come back during another new moon like eclipse? eclipse brings darkness and after it passing, light shine again on the earth, may you come back oh our Rose, let your light shine again.