Police,FRSC Confirms Death Of 1st Lady"s Mum

Details of the accident in which the mother of First Lady Patience Jonathan died emerged yesterday. The car on somersaulted several times before it crashed, it was learnt.

The lone accident on the Elele-Isiokpo road involved only the Toyota Corolla saloon in which the late Madam Charity Fynetaco Kalada and three others were travelling.

They were believed to be heading for Bayelsa State when the accident occurred.

Besides, Madam Kalada, her 14-year-old relative whose name was simply given as Favour, also died in the accident.

One of the front tyres of the car, marked ABU 153 AE was said to have suddenly pulled off when the car was negotiating a bend. The car to somersault many times.

Favour was a student of the Seventh Day Adventist Church Secondary School, Elele, Rivers State.

The driver of the car whose name was given as Stanley Enyinnaya, and the fourth occupant, a woman, are receiving treatment in a private hospital at the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt.

A source in the Office of the First Lady said:

“The First Lady is, indeed, very devastated by the sad news. We are expecting her back in the country tomorrow (today).”

Mama Sisi was in Germany for treatment on an undisclosed ailment about three months ago. The Presidency, following speculations, explained that the First Lady was not sick but went to Germany to attend to her mother.

Favour’s body was also deposited along with the remains of Madam Kalada at the Kpaima Mortuary, Elechi Beach, Mile One, Diobu, Port Harcourt on Monday evening.

Two other occupants (male and female) in the car, who are critically injured are being treated in a private hospital at the Government Reservation Area (GRA) in the Rivers State capital.

Doctors were battling to save the two survivors when our reporter left the hospital at about 3pm.

Rivers police spokesperson Angela Agabe said details of the accident were sketchy. She said investigation was ongoing.

Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC)Sector Commander Dr. Kayode Olagunju said: “We do not speak on certain cases, until all the facts are fully established.”

Madam Kalada was adopted by Dame Jonathan as mother, to fill in for her biological mother, who died during her teen years.

Dame Patience left for home yesterday following the death of her mum. She was away in Geneva when the crash occurred.

The news was said to have been broken to her in Geneva by President Goodluck Jonathan through the telephone on Monday night.

Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke commiserated with the First Family on the death of the mother of the First Lady.

Imoke described her death as painful and unfortunate.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary Christian Ita, the Governor said the incident was tragic.

“It is with a sense of shock and loss that I received the sad news,” he said.

He urged the First Family to find consolation in the fact that “she lived an exemplary worthy of emulation.”

Imoke said she will be sorely missed.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson described the death as a great blow to her family and the nation

In a statement his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson Dickson said: “The death of Mama is a great blow and an irreparable loss to her immediate family and the nation as a whole. Her motherly and wise counsel will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

“Her demise is coming at such a time when the First Lady and her family needed her support and encouragement most.”

He urged the Mrs. Jonathan, the family and the Oba family of Okrika in Rivers State to accept the “unfortunate incident as the Will of God and take it with philosophical calmness”.

“The Bayelsa State, Governor, on behalf of the Government and people of Bayelsa State prayed God to strengthen and grant Dame (Dr.) Patience Jonathan and the entire family the fortitude and courage to bear the loss” he said.