Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, on Tuesday described his late mother, Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson as his rock, elder sister and friend.

He also described her as the biggest supporter and an integral part of his life journey whose lifestyle impacted positively on him an on many who met her.

Governor Dickson made the remark when members of the National Assembly representing the state, paid him a condolence visit in Government House, Yenagoa.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Francis Ottah Agbo, quoted the governor, as saying that his mother’s love, devotion and warmth towards him and his siblings could never be quantified.

Governor Dickson, who expressed sadness over the passage of his mother, popularly known as Mama Gogo, said the vacuum created by her departure would be difficult to fill, as she always prayed for him and for his administration to succeed.

Recalling Mrs. Dickson’s last moments, the Governor expressed the conviction that his mother is already in heaven in the bosom of the Lord where she deserved to be.

He said: “My mum was my rock. She was not just my mother, she was my elder sister; she had me very early; she was my friend and my biggest supporter in anything I wanted to do.

“And she was always praying and encouraging me. Today, for the first time since her death, as we finished the morning devotion, I didn’t have my mother to hug me because every morning after devotion, she would hug me!

“After every morning devotion, she would bless me and pronounce strength and God’s guidance and she did that till the very end. Even on her hospital bed, she was praying and blessing all her children so this is one vacuum that will be very difficult to fill.”

The Governor, who said the Dickson family was going through a trying period, noted that Mrs. Dickson would be greatly missed and expressed appreciation to all sympathisers, who have in one way or the other identified with them in their movement of grief.

Speaking earlier on behalf of the National Assembly Caucus, Senator Foster Ogola, representing, Bayelsa West Senatorial District, said they were in the state to commiserate with Governor Dickson over the death of his mother.

Senator Ogola, who described death as inevitable, said they share in his pain and prayed God to grant Mrs. Dickson eternal repose of her soul and the bereaved family the fortitude to bear the loss.

The Prelate of the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide, Dr. David Dabaye Bob-Manuel, and other leaders had earlier paid a condolence visit to Governor Dickson.

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