Two caskets with the remains of two brothers were offloaded into a waiting ambulance. In a convoy of cars, the ambulance moved gently blaring siren to clear the busy Uyo-Nwaniba Road. It disembarked at the premises of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Ifiayong Usuk, Central Uruan Parish, Uyo Diocese in Akwa Ibom State. Pall bearers wearing black came out and pulled out the caskets into the church for a funeral service in honour of the deceased.
This was the scene at the funeral service organised for Ubong Ekpe Asuquo and Francis Ekpe Asuquo from Ifiayong Usuk in Uruan local government area in Akwa Ibom State on Friday, May 4, 2018. It climaxed the dust-to-dust for the two brothers who reportedly drowned in Atlantic Ocean.
Aged 42, Ubong accompanied by his wife, Sylvialine and four children- Miracle, King-David, Sophie and Gideon and his brother, Francis, 31, were said to have gone to Ibeno beach in Ibeno local government area on Sunday, April 8 for picnic.
A reliable source told Straightnews that “They had eaten and played football together at the beach. Later, Ubong entered the Atlantic Ocean to swim, but he drowned. Not knowing what had happened, Francis, his brother plunged in to rescue him, but drowned too. The search for the duos continued from 5 p.m without yielding result. The family disappointingly left the beach at 8 p.m. However, the two corpses floated the next and were recovered by the family taken to Uyo for embalment.
Before 9 a.m. the venue was decorated with flex bearing the pictures of the deceased. A conical canopy was mounted at the venue. Palm trees and wind-breakers were dancing to the tune of gentle wind blowing across the venue. The weather was clement. And gradually, the venue was filled to capacity. And double parking along the major road failed traffic offence.
The atmosphere was solemn. Tears welled in most eyes. Many peeped through the windows of the church filled by the teeming crowd to behold the great “pictures.” Two caskets were laid adjacent to one another. For demarcation, Ubong’s wore white while Francis’ was coffee-brown. Two different types of funeral programmes for both were printed and shared to sympathisers.
The officiating minister, Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Donatus Ukpong in a funeral oration declared “It is sad that the two were not supposed to die in that manner. It is sad the guys who were bundle of hope are gone. It is sad that they had left many responsibilities…”
Ubong was an assistant manager, Marketing Department at Skye Bank Plc, 56 Nwaniba Road, Uyo. He held B.SC in Agricultural Economics and Extension from the University of Uyo while Francis was a holder of a B.SC in Public Policy and Strategic Studies from the University of Calabar.
They are survived by aged parents, Chief Anthony Asuquo and Mrs. Agnes Asuquo as well as four brothers and five sisters.
Both brothers were born on different years and days. They attended different schools. They worked for different establishments. They had their different idiosyncrasies.Yet, both died the same day, place and time.
That was how fate played out in their lives as the remains of Ubong and Francis were laid to rest in their country home as sympathisers, colleagues and relatives wailed uncontrollably.
