TRIBUTE TO LATE MRS. KATHRYN HOOMKWAP
Author: Solomon D. Lar | Date: March 23rd, 2008
It was with deep shock that my wife and I received the sad news of the death of your beloved wife, Mrs. Kathryn Hoomkwap. When I visited her in her hospital room in
I have known the Hoomkwap family for a very long time. Indeed the first contact was through Mallam Sule Hoomkwap, the father of Senator George Hoomkwap, who was then the Chairman of the defunct Lowland Federation Council in the early 1960s when I was a Member of Parliament. He became the Chief of Kwande afterwards. Later in the late 1960s, I met his son, George Hoomkwap at Ahmadu Bello Universityy Zaria. He was studying Public Administration, while I enrolled for Law. My relationship with his father naturally influenced the way I related with George. The bond between us was like that of uncle and nephew, given the fact that his father was my friend.
When I contested for and won election as Governor of Plateau State in 1979 on the platform of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), both George and Kathryn contributed effectively. I can still remember vividly her advice following the inconclusive election of that year, which left no party in the country with absolute majority. I was on my way to meet Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the party’s Presidential candidate and other leaders of the party. She called me aside and said that we should not give in cheaply, but should negotiate properly.
As a result of her contributions and brilliant ideas, I invited her to join my government. She had enrolled for a Masters programme at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. As a result of her love for her state, she sacrificed that opportunity and helped us to form an inclusive government for the state. I appointed her the State Commisioner for Health.
Kathryn Hoomkwap will be remembered for her invaluable contributions to healthcare delivery in both Plateau and
She made sure that the loan was effectively used and I can proudly state that Plateau state was more developed in infrastructure than other states in the federation as a result of the judicious application of that loan. This fact was attested to by a former Minister of Health, late Professor Ransome Kuti, when he commissioned a hospital in Mangu Local Government Area, built with part of the loan in 1988. This was during the tenure of then Colonel Lawrence Onoja, who as Governor invited both Kathryn and my wife, Her Excellency, Ambassador (Prof.) Mary to witness the event, in appreciation of our contributions.
Prof. Kuti said that
Kathryn was honest, sincere and corruption free. She did not abuse her office, nor did she benefit personally from the loan, the contractors, Mac Alpan commended her for her honesty and forthrightness, describing her as a worthy Officer of Government who resisted all efforts to bribe her.
I was then in prison following trumped up charges by the self-righteous military dictators that sacked our administration. In her letter communicating this good news to me, Kathryn said, “this feat should cheer you up.”
When I heard that she was detained with some other top government officials, I was very sad and consequently directed that they be release, since I had already taken complete responsibility for everything they did on behalf of government.
Later, I was transferred to Jos prison and she wrote me a letter saying that her heart bled that I was still in incarceration. During my trial the judge pronounced me innocent. She accompanied my wife to the court and I remember her telling me in Tarok language that I was a free man once more. It is common in human nature to imbibe certain aspects of the culture of people close to you, so I was not surprised she learnt that consolatory remark in Tarok language for my sake.
After my release, our relationship continued especially with my wife whom she fondly called Yaya, meaning elder sister in Hausa language. She always called me Baba because I was a friend to her Father.
Her children and husband have been like members of my own family. Kathryn was a devout catholic. She taught me how to make signs of the Cross. During one of her visits to me at Kirikiri maximum prison in
This was during the period of Lent. I hold brief for some of our colleagues in the State Executive Council of between 1979 and 1983 who are still alive; who I am sure will adopt all I have said in this tribute. She had no enemy in the Cabinet. We had no rancour. We were like a family. Tim and space will not permit me to recount all the wonderful memories we have shared together with the family of the Hoomkwaps. As a result of this friendship, the death of Kathryn is very devastating to my family.
However, as Christians we take solace in the assurance of our Lord Jesus Christ, which says, “I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall die…” (John 11:25.26).
Though she has left us physically, I have no doubt that Kathryn is in the bosom of the Lord. Indeed the pain is deep and the vacuum she has left would be difficult to fill. But I want you to take consolation the words of Apostle Paul. Who said in 2nd Thessalonians 4:13-14, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, evem so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
On behalf of my wife, I send our heartfelt condolences to the families of both the Hoomkwaps and their inlaws, the Stephen Balas.
May the Almighty God give you the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace.
POVERTY AND THE FAMILY IN THE THIRD WORLD
The family remains the basic unit of society in the world today. In its modern meaning, the family is that social unit comprising a man, his wife and their children. In most sub-Saharan African countries, the extended family, which is a more inclusive definition of the family, includes uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents and other distant relations. This paper has deliberately chosen to make the family its center-piece for a number of reasons.
Excerpt from: A/S-23/1 8
The Holy See delegation has participated actively in the negotiations leading to this special session of the General Assembly, a session which has raised issues of critical importance to the lives of millions of women worldwide, and which has been evaluating the progress that has been made since the Fourth World Conference on Women.
