Austin Ofoma
Indigenes of Amahor, Uromi, in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State, have been paying tributes to the paramount ruler of the area, Chief Patrick Osuman, describing him as a quintessential person.
Chief Osuman died on December 22, 2018, and was buried on March 22, 2019.
Among his many legacies was his ability to keep youths in the area from engaging in vices, a deed many have been testifying to.
In his tribute, Mr. John Aluya, President of Association of Sons and Daughters of Amahor, praised particularly, late Chief Osuman’s efforts in discouraging youths of Amahor from engaging in militancy at a time it was at its height in Edo State. He said the late paramount ruler constantly dissuaded them from getting involved in oil bunkering and destruction of oil pipelines.
Mr. Aluya stated this in his address when his group paid a condolence visit to the home of the community’s late traditional ruler.
Aluya who led the association to the deceased’s home said he could not explain how Chief Osuman successfully held youths of the area back from vices and directed them to the path of virtue.
“One thing I know is that he was always encouraging them to stay focused on positive things. He kept preaching to them that it does not pay to cut corners.”
He, therefore, called on the family and everyone present to hold on to the lessons and virtues of the deceased for their spiritual wellbeing and nation’s growth.
Mr. Aluya recalled that one clear lesson to learn from Chief Osuman’s legacy is that the value one places on human beings is the value one gets from them.
“And that is why we have come in our numbers to pay our respect to this great man of our time,” he said.
“Every one of us here enjoyed directly or indirectly from his philanthropy, sterling leadership qualities, diligence and commitment to touching lives positively.
“We are here today to say that we will miss Pa Osuman’s fatherly and Godly advice which he always gave generously to everyone who came in contact with him.
He narrated how the late monarch lifted him in life insisting: “I will personally miss him a lot.
“I remembered one day in my university days when I returned home with tonnes of complaints on how bad things were with me in school. He encouraged me with a verse from the Holy Bible which lifted me. He read from the Holy Bible where it is written: “Through the Lord’s mercies, we are not consumed, because His compassion fails not.”
Mr. Aluya said that those words of encouragement in Lamentation 3:22 and the cash gift he received from him raised his hope to succeed in life.
Meanwhile, another member of the association, Mr Okojie, a pharmacist, has testified that Pa Osuman touched his life when he had a land dispute with his uncle shortly after his father’s death.
He said: “Pa Osuman left an indelible mark in whatever he was involved in. He was able to tell my uncle that the land where I eventually built my house, belonged to my late father.
“My uncle at the time wanted to forcefully claim the piece of the land,” he said
“But when the pressure from Pa Osuman and the elders in council became too severe, my uncle had no choice but to back down. I will forever remain grateful to Late Chief Osuman.”
He noted that the late Chief Osuman is survived by his wife, Mrs. Marian Osuman, and six children: Prince Charles, Lawrence, Blessing, Helen, Patricia and Agatha as well as many grandchildren.