Chief (Hon.) Dr. Jim Chimezie Okolo, Eze-Ugo I of Ibagwa-Nike, was among several distinguished personalities who attended the burial ceremony of the late mother of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, held on Saturday at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Jos, Plateau State.
The solemn ceremony, which was graced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and an array of eminent political leaders, business executives, and traditional rulers, was a moving tribute to a life of faith, integrity, and enduring impact. The late matriarch was celebrated as a woman of profound wisdom, compassion, and moral strength—one who nurtured values that shaped her family and influenced generations beyond her immediate community.
On Sunday, following the burial ceremony, Chief Okolo proceeded to the National Chairman’s hometown, Dungun Community in Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State, where he paid a personal condolence visit to Professor Yilwatda and his family.
During the visit, Chief Okolo, a renowned entrepreneur, philanthropist, and statesman, extolled the late mother as “a woman of uncommon grace, strength, and faith—whose legacy of virtue and fortitude is mirrored in the towering leadership qualities of her son.”
He added with deep emotion:
“The passing of a mother leaves a wound that time can scarcely heal. Yet, when a woman lives in the service of God and humanity, her spirit transcends death. Professor Yilwatda’s humility, patriotism, and sense of duty are living monuments to a mother who raised her children with divine discipline and boundless love.”
Chief Okolo, who serves as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Jimez Petroleum Resources Ltd., Founder and President of the Jim Mezie Foundation, and Chairman of the Governing Council of the proposed Bridget University, Mbaise, encouraged the Yilwatda family to draw strength from the indelible mark their mother left on all who encountered her.
He further prayed for divine consolation and fortitude for the bereaved family, saying:
“Her journey on earth was purposeful and noble. Her virtues have become a guiding light—one that will continue to illuminate paths of faith, humility, and service to mankind for generations to come.”
Chief Okolo, who also doubles as National Coordinator of Nouvelle Perspective Internationale, a United Nations–partnered global democracy and election observation body, and West African Regional Coordinator of the Universal Migration Enlightenment Centre (UMEC), was widely commended by guests for his heartfelt show of solidarity and compassion.
His presence at the burial service in Jos and subsequent condolence visit to Dungun was hailed as a demonstration of refined statesmanship and deep human empathy—a reflection of his unwavering belief that true leadership is defined not merely by power or position, but by the capacity to share in the pain, hopes, and humanity of others.
