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Light a Candle
Deaconess Comfort Obaigbona was born on 2nd March, 1936 in Owa Alizomor, to Chief Okomire and Lady Onyechie, who was an Agbor princess. She was born into a polygamous home as her father had many wives and children. She was the last born of her mother and was treated with an abundance of love and respect. However, her father did not see the need to educate female children since the norm then was to marry them off as soon as they were perceived to be ripe enough for marriage. She did not see any harm in doing physical labour in order to accomplish her goals. Against all odds, she was determined to be educated. This led her into doing hard and odd jobs to enable here pay her fees. With her mother's help she sold firewood at Boji Boji before going to school in the mornings. She had to carry her firewood on her head from Owa Alizomor to Orogodo every morning. It is interesting to note that during the course of her primary education, one of her teachers was a Prince of Owa Kingdom, who would later marry his pupil. Prince Joel Ero Obaigbona taught the then young Comfort and many decades later when his first son teased him and asked if he was “eyeing" his mother while she was his pupil, he answered that “there was nothing to eye then. She was just a kid and was not matured then". Interestingly, her quest for knowledge led her to Eku to work with the missionaries as a Ward Orderly in the hospital. She rose to become an auxiliary midwife. She went on to acquire her midwifery grade 2 certificate in 1955. She wasn’t done with her studies yet. In 1969, during the civil war, she was at the Central Hospital Benin City to obtain the midwifery grade 1 certificate. She also acquired the certificate of nursing. She worked in several villages, helping to pioneer the establishment of many maternity homes throughout Ika land. She retired from government services in 1992, after rising to the enviable position of Chief Nursing Officer of the then Ika Local Government Council. She was a heavy weight midwifery matron in the then Bendel State and later Delta State. After retirement, she opened her maternity home which she called Virtue Maternity Home and did a wonderful job there; offering exceptional services to mother and child. Several groups enjoyed free treatment with free delivery of pregnant relatives, friends and pastors wives, no matter the denomination. She never turned anyone away because of funds or lack of it, for that matter. "Mama Virtue" as she was fondly called will be missed by many especially by her hospital evangelical team. Mama got married to her darling husband in April 1958. Her husband, Prince Joel Ero Obaigbona, (who was called home to be with the Lord on 14th March, 2009). By all standards mama and papa faired very well having produced wonderful children whom they nurtured with the fear of God. Mama is survived by six (6) biological and many adopted children, amongst whom are Mrs. Mabel Olomu, Mrs Carol Idiaye, Emmanuel Obaigbona, Mrs. Ngozi Tataobuzogwu, Mrs. Ifeoma Emmanuel, Israel Iwegbu, Anthony Obaigbona, Mrs. Blessing Ebere Umugbe, Grace Amarachukwu Obaigbona, Jude Monye, Emmanuel Okojere, Adebayo Obiazikwo, Nath Kisimkwu, Bro. Ayetin, Mrs. Bridget Dibie, Virtue Children, etc. While growing up, mama became a shining star and became the beloved of her father and mother. Amongst her father's children, she became a force to be reckoned with. Her father who had earlier driven her and her mum away because of her insistence on going to school later blessed her for the same feat. Mama influenced her younger siblings to embrace education and the entire family to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ. She also taught all her children the benefits and blessings of looking after the aged, especially one's parents. She was the rallying point and nucleus of her entire family. She transferred that name,”Nucleus" to one of her nephews and sons, Nduka Irabor. Till her death, all her siblings looked up to her. She had an awesome personality. Mama's influence and impact was very strong. Wherever she went, after her departure, you would know that someone was present. In her working career she maintained a more than cordial relationship with all her workers, irrespective of their level. She saw her co-workers as part of her family and was affected by whatever affected them. After service, mama still surrounded herself with a crop of dedicated workers. Till her dying moment, this group of people, who saw her as their mother, was always beside her. Mama was a child of God. As a dedicated servant, she was proud to announce to whoever cared to listen that she was more interested in evangelising than in anything else. She took particular interest in preaching to various palaces in Ika land. Most of the people that knew her in her old age knew her as a care worker, a preacher of the Word, a distributor of Bibles and ‘Everyday with Jesus’ devotionals. When she was laid to rest, Bibles were distributed in her honour. She allowed God to use her in the foundation and building of the Fellowship Baptist Church, Owa Alizomor and till death was very active at the Church of God Mission along Morka Street, Boji Boji. While at Abavo in 1975, mama rededicated her life to God and was ordained Deaconess by the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa. Her love for God propelled her to do many feats for her Lord including crusades in faraway Bauchi, in Northern Nigeria. Just before her death on Friday, September 27, 2019, mama was making phone calls and praying for people, until she asked to be taken to sleep. We are sure mama is at peace and resting with her Lord whom she served dutifully and faithfully.
