It was my sister Dr. Ibiene Ogolo, who called and said, call Bikiya she just lost her mother. I said no! Bikiya Graham Douglas is my closest sister. We love each other oh. We have been mutually bereaved this period, me losing my wife Erelu in July and my mother in January. She losing her brother Tonye Graham-Douglas Jr this November and both of us losing Albert Okumagba.
I even got her to host a tribute night for Albert by the BGL family. We have been consoling each other with calls and all that. So, when Ibiene called, I was weak and chatted Bikiya up. She was strong and I said hold on oh. Then, my brother, Ken Etete, sent me a news feed of the passing of Ambassador Ketebu and I said sad not knowing she was Bikiya’s mother. She was Nigeria’s ambassador to Ireland and a member of the federal House of Representatives amongst a litany of positions she held in the country.
It was just this morning that I was about to write this tribute on Bikiya and her late brother and mother that I said, Bikiya please give me your mother’s name and she said Ambassador Bolero Ketebu, na im I screamed, is that your mother kai!? I didn’t know oh. Such an illustrious woman and very beautiful. I see where Bikiya got her looks from. This is heavy, losing a brother and mother in months, really heavy but God is with the family, I know. He is with them just as he is with us. Take heart, my darling Bikiya. God will bless and keep the rest of your family, especially my darling Ibiso. Kai.
