THE REMARKABLE STORY OF MRS. AGBOESE OF UWHEN-DOVA Of EKPOMA KINGDOM Remember a woman from the community of Uwhen-Dova known as Mrs. Agboese, who made an extraordinary request before her death. Mrs. Agboese felt that her time on earth was drawing near, she called her children, kinsmen, and community elders together. Some people objected to her request, but she stood firm. She told them that she wanted to receive her last respects while she was still alive. She wanted her funeral rites to be different from the usual tradition. Her words were simple but powerful: she wanted to witness the honour, love, and respect people would ordinarily show her only after her death. Eventually, her request was granted. Her children, relatives, and elders gathered to perform her burial ceremony while she was still alive. The ceremony was conducted in the presence of everyone who came to honour her, with the exception of the goat sacrifice traditionally associated with the rites after death. When the ceremony ended, Mrs. Agboese thanked everyone for coming. She then went inside, lay down to rest, and, according to the account, passed away afterward. She was subsequently buried. What makes this story particularly remarkable is the claim that *Mrs. Agboese was the first woman in the history of her village to request and witness her own funeral rites while she was alive. Her story raises a profound question about life, death, tradition, and human dignity: why must people wait until someone is gone before showing them the honour and respect they deserve? Mrs. Agboese’s story remains a remarkable account of a woman who wanted to witness her final tribute with her own eyes. May her memory continue to live on. 🕯️ Marvisgains LegendaryGain (Black Excellence)