FROM Lateef Taiwo
It was tears of pain at the funeral service of late Mr Pannam Mathew Juwantu a correspondent of Standard Newspaper in Niger state who died last Tuesday after a proctracted illness at his home town in plateau State.
While delivering a sermon at the funeral service A Clergy,Rev Obadiah Dakut of the Church of Christ in Nation’s (COCIN) Church at Kiffong village,pushit District in Mangu local government area of Plateau State admonished Christians to renew their hope in God.
He urged Christians to have faith in any circumstance they found themselves particularly those who died in Christ rather than blaming the death as the handiwork of some enemies or some evil people especially when such relations died at relatively young age.
Reverend Dakut whose theme at the Funeral service was taken from the Holy Scriptures in the Book of Psalm 34 Verse18, reminded Christians that there is hope after death, stressing that his sermon centered on people who have different perception about death.
He further explain that people especially Nigerians and some Christians no longer look up to God because whenever there is any death of their relations or friends, they accused people of Witchcraft being responsible for it.
The Cleric stated further that the essence of his preaching was to draw the attention of Christians that no matter their conditions, they should not despair but should rest their hope and believe in God, pointed out that death is inevitable as there is time to be born and time to die.
“Whenever a Christian died in the Lord, irrespective of his or her age, the relations and friends on Earth will start weeping for the person because they are feeling a sense of loss, but if such person was a strong believer when alive, the Angels will be rejoicing over the departed soul on his arrival in heaven as a new born Baby in their midst..
He however enjoined the bereaved families of the deceased journalist especially his aged Parents, Wife and his Children not to lose hope over the death of their bread winner, stressing that there is hope after death, praying that God should raise a provider for the family in a miraculous way that they never expected.
Aged 39, late Mr. Pannam Mathew Jwantu is survived by his Parents,Mr, Mathew Jwantu and Mrs.Halima Mathew Jwantu a Wife, Mrs. Mercy Panam Mathew Jwantu and Matthew also left behind four children three from his first late wife,Mrs. Nandak who died some few years ago.
The remains of the deceased Journalist were buried shortly after the funeral service at a Private Cemetery on rocks within the Kiffong village at about 1130 am last Saturday.
Members of the Niger state council of NUJ led by vice Chairman Uriah Gana and correspondent chapel, Mr Adelowo Oladepo of tribune newspaper and Mrs Chinwe Innadozie of daily independent newspaper and representative of NAWOJ Niger state Ruth Gana,others include Rev.Luka Kad Mi Elisha from COCIN, LCC Minna, Niger State witnessed the burial ceremony.
