December 23, 2023 would have been the happiest day for Abraham Basif and and his fiancee, Praise Enyojo Ahmodu. It was the day they had chosen to tie the nuptial knot with the engagement set to take place at Elder Ahmodu Jonah Omakoji compound, beside Central School, Abejukolo, Omala Local Government Area, Kogi State on December 22 while the church wedding was slated for CEFN English Church Abejukolo the following day.

Arrangements had gone smoothly in the days leading to the said dates until the groom was suddenly hospitalised for an undisclosed illness. Everyone was optimistic that Basif would be discharged before the D-day, but in a heart-rending turn of events, the joyful mood of the families quickly turned into a devastating tragedy.

Basif died in the hospital three days to the wedding.

The burial, which took place recently, saw the bride, Miss Enyojo Praise, wearing sorrow like a garment even as sympathisers took turns to register their condolences.

The tragic Incident was like a red hot knife driven into her heart. It prevented her husband to be from getting married to her for them to implement their shared dreams.

The bride was in agony and kept sobbing in spite of the efforts sympathisers made to console her. Nothing, she said repeatedly, could replace her late husband to be because he was an honest, God fearing and hardworking young man.

Praise had met the late Abraham in Lokoja through a mutual friend, following which they became friends and remained so until they decided to tie the knot as husband and wife.

Amid sobs, the bereaved bride said it would not be easy to move on like a lot of people had advised. The late Abraham, she said, was the love of her life. Hence moving on would not be a walk in the park.

“I will miss him. I missed his love. Having him around me was my strength.

Praise said the death of her fiancé had turned what was supposed to be the best day of their lives into the worst.

“I love you forever. It will always be me and you, no matter what. I love you unconditionally my gentle giant. You didn’t deserve this,” she said.

Still in tears, Praise added: “My treasure, this mark is too heavy on me. Can I still love? Can I still find true love?

“This was not what we planned. You gave up in my arms. I thought my struggle with you on the sick bed would end with praise and testimony as you always told me. This is too much for me. I am speechless.

“I can’t believe you are no more. You are gone in such an embarrassing manner just three days to our wedding. I am speechless. But wherever you are, I will be with you.”

Some friends of the late Abraham, who spoke to our correspondent, said when he took the decision to go out with Praise after a close observation, he asked them and they all agreed because the bride met all the mental picture of a wife and the appraisal was later confirmed by some of her church members who knew her.

“They eventually met and began a relationship. After some time, the late Abraham began to sell the idea of marriage to her and explained the idea behind it.

“Gradually, the bride accepted and both of them got closer and began to tell their confidants about the idea.

“They eventually concluded their consultation with their parents-in-law and started making arrangements about formalising it, which included seeing both parents, proposing marriage and fixing December 22^nd and 23^rd for the traditional and church weddings.

A relation of the bride, Grace Amanyi, said: “We have been posting and anticipating your wedding, which is in less than three days. Death where is thy sting?

“It is hard to say goodbye my in-law. You will forever remain in our hearts. Rest well till we meet to part no more.

From wedding to funeral

Friends of the late groom to be have since been thrown into mourning since he died three days before his wedding. Mr Theophilus Baba said the death of the young, promising man hurt him to the bone, “but God knows it all.

“I never knew the day I came to see you in the hospital was our last meeting on earth.

“Brother, I am supposed to be sending congratulations to you but we judge God faithful in all.

“It is sad for the families. They are now switching from a wedding to a funeral. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, naturally.”

The groom was a young man who grew up locally. He went to the local school. H did have an awful lot of friends around.

He was due to get married on December 22 and 23. The family was in bits. His community was plunged into deep sadness following his sudden death, with a number of friends and family paying tributes to the young man on social media.

One tribute reads: “Every girl waits for that day their whole life. Can you imagine how excited you would be and then for it to be all taken away just like that?

Another said: “Can’t believe it. Rest in peace. God be with you, my friend, nicest boy you could have met. Just 3 days before his wedding. Condolences to his family at this awful sad time.”

One other tribute reads: “Jesus! And congratulations turn into RIP. So painful. What a wicked world. May the Lord grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss and may the Lord grant his soul eternal rest.

“I can’t even imagine the pain the bride to be will be going through. Rest in peace.”

Another also said: “This is unacceptable. This life is not balanced when sad occurrences like this happen.

“How easy will the wife take it? One dies at the prime of achieving a thing in life.

“No matter the matter, God is great. God will grant your family and wife to be the strength to bear this irreplaceable loss.”

Yet another tribute said: “This is devastating, but who are we to question the faithfulness of God? So disheartening. Take heart dear wife to be.”

On August 2, 2023, the late Abraham had taken to his Facebook wall to pen sweet words for his lovely wife to be ahead of her birthday on August 15, saying: ‘In Andy to my splendor (August 15^th is the code), my beautifest, my favouritest, my bestest, Great shift, I treasured and love you greatly.”

On the 15^th of August 2023, which was the birthday of his fiancee, the late Abraham again penned these love lines to celebrate her: “It’s a new day for you my splendor. The Lord shall exalt your horn, you shall be the joy of many generations, light attend to your path.

“Grow in wisdom, Favour and grace. Happy birthday, I treasure and love you greatly.”

And in response, she said “Amen, Thank you so much my diadem”.

On November 29, 2023, the late Abraham again took to his Facebook wall to officially announce the date for both his traditional and church wedding to his fiancee as he wrote: “He made all things beautiful in his time. Please join us as we celebrate the faithfulness of God over our lives.”

That turned out his last post before he took ill.

But on November 30, 2023, the bride took to her Facebook wall to also announce her marriage on the 22^nd and 23^rd December 2023.

She wrote: “God has been faithful. Pray for us and plan to come, AP2023.”

Although our correspondent was unable to ascertain the nature of the illness that befell the late Abraham, when the news of his sudden death was broken, his entire community and members of his church in particular were thrown into confusion.

One of his brothers and friends, who identify himself as Amos, said: “Abraham Basif was actually full of life in preparation for his wedding.

“If anyone had told me the wedding would not hold or Abraham would go down six fit within that time, I won’t believe it. But God has done it.

“We are human. We are flesh, so we are not going to see it the way you see it, Lord. We are going to see it the way you see it Lord.

“We are going to be pained and we are actually pained, but God knows better. May his soul continue to rest with our Lord.”

Efforts made to speak in details with the bride and her family as well as the groom’s immediate family on the next steps yielded no result. (The Nation)

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