Some prominent Ijaw traditional rulers from the Niger Delta region have paid a condolence visit to the Nigerian embassy in France over the death of the Ambassador, Dr Kayode Laro.

The traditional rulers told their host, during the September 1, 2023 visit, that they were on vacation in the Western European nation when the sad incident occurred and thought it necessary to pay the condolence visit to the embassy.

The Agadagba of Arogbo, His Royal Majesty, King Zacchaeus Egbunu, who spoke for the monarchs explained that they felt it would not be proper for them to be in the country without paying a condolence visit to the embassy on the death of the Ambassador.

The traditional rulers include the Pere of Gbaraun, His Royal Majesty Egbesuwei Gbanraun X, the Agadagba Of Ancient Gbanraun Kingdom, Southern Ijaw LGA, Bayelsa State, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketekpe, Agadagba; Pere of Olodiama Kingdom in Edo State, His Royal Majesty, King Godwin Ogoyinbo, Alagbabunafa III, and The Pere of Tobutoru kingdom of Ondo State, the Mighty Diamond.

The Nigerian Ambassador to France, Dr Kayode Laro, died on August 12, 2023.

The traditional rulers noted that while the late Dr Laro looked young from his photograph, the embassy staff should be consoled as death is both unpredictable and inevitable.

They said that it was in the place of man to return the glory to God who gave life in the first place.

Said their spokesman, King Zacchaeus Egbunu: “We are here on a vacation actually, after the tedious work in Nigeria. We felt that we should come and rest a while. And while being here, we thought it expedient and sacrosanct to visit the embassy in view of the fact that we heard of the death of late Dr. Laro.

“It will be unwise of us as indigenes of Niger Delta to be in the city of Paris without coming to pay our commiserations and sympathize with you as Nigerians in general while we are here.

“So, we felt that we should come and share our condolences with you and to commiserate with you on the death of His Excellency, Dr. Laro.

“When I look at that picture, he looks quite young. But nobody can predict when death comes and even when it comes what we’ll just do is to give God the glory, because he giveth life.

“My only prayer is that he should find a place in the bosom of God, his creator. And one day surely we’ll meet. So that is the purpose of our visit. We commiserate with you, we pray that God will give the entire Nigerian embassy in France the spirit to bear this incredible loss.”

The officer in charge of affairs of the Affairs of the Nigeria Embassy in France, Tunde Mustapha, who received the team of royal fathers, thanked them for the visit describing it as a lot of good to the embassy and the Nigerian nation.

He said that the late Ambassador who spent two years in service as ambassador before his death was very active to the Nigerian community in France.

He said that the late Amb Laro visited so many regions to address issues of passport and other documents so that Nigerians didn’t have to take the cost of transportation to visit the embassy, and was well loved.

He said, “The late Ambassador visited so many regions in France so he is very endeared to the Nigerian community. Also he did his best to facilitate trade and investment between Nigeria and France.

“There are so many occasions where he will go out and invite business people from France to go and invest in Nigeria. He did his best and was also recognized by the Nigerian government.

“But as you said, your royal highness, death is a price that all of us have to pay, one time or the other. Our prayer is that he will prolong us so that we will enjoy life and happiness on this earth before we go and meet our Lord in heaven.”

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