While many Nigerians are joyfully celebrating today’s Christmas, there has been little to celebrate for family members of bedridden Governor of Taraba State, Danbaba Suntai, who are still reeling from the absence of their breadwinner.
Pa Timothy Mai Komo, the surviving uncle of the governor, described this year’s Christmas as a very gloomy one with the absence of the governor, who has been hospitalised in Germany after a crash involving his private jet, which he piloted himself.
Pa Komo stated that the absence of the governor has had serious effects on the immediate family members and the entire Bali Local Government Area where the governor hails from.
“If he were well, you would have seen cows being slaughtered in this house for Christmas celebration. We are missing our son,” he said.
“He doesn’t discriminate among us. He distributes cows to us during festivities. During Christmas, Governor Suntai will send me a cow. But as you can see, we don’t have any cow to slaughter for
Christmas. We would have started celebrating if he were around. We’re missing him dearly. Everybody here is missing him.”
Komo added that the family was not in celebrative mood because of the governor’s absence, saying they are more bothered with monitoring his situation through those close to him. He said they are praying fervently for his earnest return to life.
Another member of the family, Alhaji Sule Musa Suntai, said the governor’s situation is giving them concerns that cannot allow celebrations.
According to him, the governor has been very nice to them, beginning from his days as the chairman of Bali Local Government Area.
“He did so many things for us,” he said. “He brought development to our village; he secured admission for our children; and built roads, schools, police station and hospitals.”
