The remains of the late Chief Capt. Snr. Apst. Felix Bebekemiaye Adurumokumo Ekpetipu, who passed away at the age of 82 years, was conveyed in a floating vessel to his hometown Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, on the morning of Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Among the photos captured on board the vessel, PENGlobal picked out seven which tells a story of their own. Meanwhile here are the seven events these photos portray.

EVENT 1: Certain events in life tend to break down differential barriers and solidify brotherhood. Two top dignitaries on board (one, who is a federal government agent and belonged to the ruling national APC party and the other, who is a member of the ruling PDP and the number three citizen of Delta State) as captured in photo seem to express this phenomenon as they engaged in a tete-a-tete conversation. There were many of such instances on board.

EVENT 2: It is a well known fact that the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), High Chief Dennis Otuaro Ph.D, is an in-law of the deceased. In one of the photos, the PAP Boss could be seen trying to console his dear wife, Mrs. Ebimoboere Otuaro, with soothing words in an attempt to buoy her from her sad state. His love for his wife knows no bound.

EVENT 3: The expression in the face of Mrs. Ebimoboere Otuaro seem to express some relief as the effort of the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), High Chief Engr Kestin Pondi FNIIS FNSE, seem to have succeeded in adding a gentle smile on the face of the Administrator's wife.

EVENT 4: Mrs. Eni Latimi Uyatede, on two of the photos taken on board, seem to be enmeshed in a world of sadness as depicted by her facial expression. Her mind seem to be very far from the happenings in her immediate surrounding, weighed by grief. The pain of never seeing her father again would take long to get over.

EVENT 5: Well, one man's loss is another's gain. It is not out of the ordinary to know that some persons only came to groove and not mourn with the bereaved. To these set of people who always make up the majority in a funeral setting, their philosophy is that "life goes on". No matter the circumstances they are always ready to enjoy themselves. These ones however help the bereaved to somehow feel comforted. Happiness therefore help plays a crucial role in such setting.

EVENT 6: The General Manager, Operations, of TSSNL, Sir Tare Godfrey Pondi could not help but be jolted out of his thoughts as he let out a grim smile as shown in his expression and in his reaction to something happening in front of him. Such humour evoked by passengers on board sometimes help to liven the hearts from the dullness of sorrow.

EVENT 7: Roughly two thousand guests were on board sailing from Miller Waterfront near NPA to the venue of the burial. It is difficult to tell if the location where these photos were taken was actually on a marine vessel. However, one photo seems to give this narrative by the hull, superstructure and masts shown at the far background as the vessel set to sail with a massive crowd on board. The vessel which left Warri by about 10am arrived its venue minutes past 7pm.

View more photos on PENGlobal Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EyaNVmUdF/

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