Elizabeth Bidei, Bayelsa women affairs commissioner, is dead

Elizabeth Bidei, Bayelsa state commissioner for women affairs, is dead.

Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, the state’s commissioner for information, announced Bidei’s death in a statement on Tuesday.

He did not state the cause of the death and when it happened.

“Our hearts go out to the bereaved family. Our prayers are with them during this profoundly difficult time of grief,” the statement reads.

“Our sincerest sympathies and prayers are with her loved ones at this difficult time. May they all find comfort in the knowledge that Mrs. Bidei’s life and work had a profound impact on our state and its people.

“As we mourn Mrs. Bidei, we will dearly miss her and her passion as a dedicated public servant and a loyal party person, who worked tirelessly to promote the welfare and empowerment of women in our state.

“As a member of the executive council, who played a crucial role in shaping policies and programmes that benefited the people of Bayelsa state, her death has denied our state of her inspiring contribution and created a vacuum that is difficult to fill.

“We shall remember her as a kind and compassionate individual who always placed the needs of others ahead of her own.

“It is our conviction that her legacy will live on through the countless lives she touched and the many initiatives she championed during her lifetime.

“The governor and the entire government of Bayelsa state are saddened by her loss and will miss her wise counsel and dedication to our collective efforts to build a better and prosperous future for our state.

“We will always remember her as a true servant of the people and a champion of women’s empowerment.

“May her soul find comfort in the bosom of our lord.”