LATE CHIEF CHRISTOPHER EFE AKPOBI: How He Was Remembered and Forgottened at death By the Living. 
The death of the great father of love, Chief Christopher Efe Akpobi reminded me of the Irish Saying that "the tree remains, but not the hand that planted it" Though i have been battling with how i can put the memory of his death behind me, the funeral service held on Friday 14th December, 2012 in Oviorie, Ethiope- East Local Government Council of Delta State, brought its memory back in my mind. As the saying above reflected, Akpobi was a planter of many trees in the Political field especially in Delta State. While those trees remain and blossom in existence, the planter suddenly bid a farewell to the world and went to join his ancestors in a very gallant manner.
The Late Chief Efe Akpobi, a former Registrar of the Petroleum Training Institute(PTI), Effurun and once Chairman, Delta State Primary Education Board(SPEB) was a great father, a philanthropist, a builder of hope, a political broker, architect of peace and servant of humanity.Though, the burial of this great man was not an avenue to assess how those he contributed immensely to their lives would accord him at death his last respect and love, the  events at his burial ceremony and lessons learnt therefrom will remain longer in my memory than his demise. The deviation from my expectations on that day prompted me to do this piece. Why is it so? The reader may interestingly ask! The answer is not far-fetched. To me, the burial ceremony of a deceased loved one, is the last place to accord such person the last respect and love due. According to Napoleon, the late Akpobi was a Leader dealing in hope. However, many of his hopes concerning his dear people and state were not met before death invited him home. As a man who was not interested in becoming successful, Akpobi was busy creating value in every life he came across to the best he can offer. This can be proved by the spirit of an average Nigerian of his political class and position boasting until death of having only one hut over his head on planet earth. The rest of his achievements was invested in the hopes and future of the hopeless that came his way. This was why i said that the events of Friday 14th December, 2012 would remain very long in my memory. 
Having a very shallow knowledge of the man-Akpobi while growing up as a young man, an uncle once told me about how the late 'Architect of hope' for the helpless,  established his future, by making his dream of becoming an Engineer a reality. His story moved me to study this man at a very close rank and i came to terms with the people that described him as a generous man and a welfarist. What really endeared him to me, was his philosophy that the best life to live was to live for the society and humanity.  To him, serving people's wishes and pains was his number one priority as he wakes up every morning. As a Registrar, he assisted those who could have been denied admission into the PTI in his days. When he was appointed as the Chairman State Primary Education Board,SPEB, by Governor James Ibori, many who knew him before the time heaved a sigh of relief as the day for the development of our public schools was dawn. Deltans still remember how the late Akpobi, as a mediator between Government and the  people of Delta State was fighting government Contractors over completion of contracts awarded them under his board. It was due to his tireless efforts that the massive renovations and constructions of new Primary Schools Classroom Blocks done during the Ibori administration were achieved. 
In the last general elections for the gubernatorial position of Delta State, Chief Efe Akpobi gave it all to the support of his Urhobo brother, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru being a lover and believer of the Urhobo course. As a Politician, the Late Akpobi groomed a lot of political actors  you see in Delta state today especially in the Delta Central where he hailed from. There is hardly any political think tank in the present political dispensation in Urhobo land that was never affected in one way or the other through an affiliation with the late Efe Akpobi. So, one was wondering where were the likes of the Deputy Governor of Delta state, Prof Amos Agbe Utuama, Dr. Chris Oghenechovwen, Dr A P Fovie, Ejaife Odebala, Ufuoma Obule, Hon Evelyn, Terry Noah, Sen. Pius Akpor Ewherido, the so-called political messiah of the Urhobo Nation, Chief Ovedje Ogboru etc when such a father of many political figures was being buried. I wish the dead can see?
At the burial Ceremony of this great man of influence and political icon, the Biblical story of the 10 Lepers healed by Jesus came into reflection ones again. The Bible says in the Gospel book of Luke 17:15-17 that out of the 10 Lepers that were healed, only one returned to Jesus acknowledging Him as the source of his healing. How do I mean? I mean that not many that were calling the late Efe Akpobi, father or leader when he was alive meant it.  The role call was made but not many were found.  Apart from Olorogun(Sen) Akpor Pius Ewherido who showed up during the outing and thanksgiving Service at the St. Matthews Catholic Church, Oviorie, the rest of the DPP family whom he was ready to sacrifice his life for  during the last 2011 general elections, including their leader and messiah, Chief Great Ogboru did not show any sign of love for the late leader.
Chief Amori, Olorogun (Hon) Akpodiogaga-a Sunny Emeyese could not forget in a haste how the late Akpobi affected their lives politically and other wise. It is still very fresh in ones memory, what happened in Oviorie when Chief Amori visited the Late Akpobi seeking his blessings and endorsement for the Senatorial race in the Delta Central on a day about 14 Youths almost lost their lives if not for the timely intervention of the late chief. So, i commend Chief Amori  to have come in person to honour 'the Cream of Delta politics' at death. Hon. Emeyese was also present at the burial of the political general, to give him his last respect. There is one man i must not forget to mention in this piece. He is the  honourable Commissioner for Economic Planning Delta State,  Mr. Kenneth Okpara. If you ask me, I will tell you that I know nothing or very little about the relationship between the late Akpobi and Mr. Okpara as the latter is  very new in the politics of the state,  yet he came to accord the man his last respect. 
Albus Dumbledore, when he saw the way people were pitying the dead  Harry including passers-by and friends on the day of his funeral, he advised thus; "Do not  pity the dead Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love". So, in the same vein I will advise 'the living without love' that there is no love to show God than the love you show to  humanity. At death, Akpobi was suddenly forgotten by the likes of Prof Amos Utuama, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, Dr Chris Oghenechovwen, Dr. A. P Fovie, Terry Noah, the Okumagbas, the UPU, the Gbinijes, Odebala Ejaife, Charles Obule, Prof Hope Eghagha, Hon Evelyn and host of others. How soon the good works done by the dead are forgotten? Sleep on Chief C. E. Akpobi, the provider of hope to the helpless, Adieu the protector of the weak!!!