…18 months after UK doctors failed to dectect it

Kikaose Ebiye Onyibe, a second year law undergraduate at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, daughter of former Commissioner in Delta State, Mr. Magnus Ebiye-Onyibe, passed away on Wednesday, April 12, 2017, following an unsuccessful surgery to remove a ruptured appendix at Gold Cross Hospital on Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

According to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ebiye-Onyibe, Kikaose, fondly called Kika, had been complaining of lower abdominal pain since October last year and had been visiting a General Practitioner in Birmingham, UK.

It was after Kika arrived Nigeria on Tuesday, April 11, that it was discovered that her appendix had ruptured. Immediate surgery in Nigeria was recommended by doctors who warned that Kika’s life would be in grave danger if she were to be flown back to UK for the procedure. Unfortunately, the surgery was not successful and Kika passed away.

Graduating from Greenwoods House School, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, and Lagoon School, Lekki, Lagos, where she had her primary and secondary school education, Kika had a clear idea of what she wanted in life. Like most students in early teens, she was ambitious and opted for her Basic Studies programme at Bridge House College, Ikoyi, Lagos.

After the course, she travelled to the United Kingdom for a Law programme at the University of Birmingham, where she was before her sudden demise. Kika was a bubbling young lady, full of lofty dreams and aspirations. Above all, she loved her creator, the Almighty God and it was not surprising that she attended church regularly, assembled her mates for fellowship and talked at informal sessions with her friends, Mr. Onyibe recalled.

A Facebook post on her wall on May 27, 2011, explains Kika’s thought process. She wrote:  “Can anyone tell me why it is so hard to pray, but easy to swear? Why clubs are growing and churches are shrinking? Why it is so hard to repost a Christian status, but easy to post a gossip? Why we can worship a celebrity, but not Jesus? Jesus said, if you deny me in front of your friends, I will deny you in front of my father. Repost if you’re not afraid of what your friends will think.”

An outstanding student, Kika was the Yellow House Captain at Lagoon School where she also won an award for Leadership. At Bridge House, she was events coordinator. She was an active member of the GIFT Fellowship at the University of Birmingham.

Kika, who would have marked her 19th birthday on April 29, led short, but eventful life. Her life is an example of the adage “life is measured by quality of life lived and not the number of years spent.”

In commemoration of her transition, a service of songs will hold today, at 33B Eti Osa Way, Dophin Estate, Ikoyi from 4 pm, while she will be interred at Ebony Vaults, George Street, Off Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, tomorrow, at 10 am prompt.