Body leaves for Kenya on Monday, 16th April 2012
After they braved the mid-afternoon drizzle to attend the Requiem Mass in honour of George Obor, the sombre-faced mourners sat calmly in the tiny Chapel at Fridhemsplan as the body of Obor reposed in a casket strategically placed at the centre of the Chapel.
The afternoon’s Program proceeded smoothly as if it had been meticulously rehearsed to the last detail. Pastor Britt Marie Goodman conducted the Mass which comprised of prayers interrupted with short interludes of solemn music that blared from a remote-controlled system. To borrow from J.K Rowling, the music could remind a well-organized mind that death is but the next great adventure.
Kenyans, friends, family members, work colleagues, well-wishers and sympathizers alike, all listened attentively as Pastor Britt Marie walked them through the verses of death, sorrow, the final journey, the mortality of the human soul and the inevitability of interment once the journey of life has come to an end to open the gates for a new and unknown adventure in the mysterious world of the dead.
Just like the unique life of George, the Requiem Mass was also unique. There were no speeches, eulogy, songs in praise of the Lord Jesus or collective recitals of any nature. The style of overlapping prayers and songs from a music system was as effective as the sitting arrangement which placed sad-faced mourners only inches from the dark brown casket from where George was resting peacefully.
It was during a music interlude when the combined impact of loss, death and uncertainty of the after-world appeared to grip the mourners in their tomb-like silence. Sometimes, the music was accompanied with lyrics but sometimes, it was just instrumentals. The music appeared to have been well chosen because the lyrics, blazing in the calm air as Obor’s body lay in the middle of the chapel, tended to convey different messages about death, the gap left behind by death, life on earth, belief in God, destination of the soul and a myriad other messages beyond the outline of this composition.
The dead silence was occasionally broken by the cry of a small baby on her minder’s shoulder, the baby totally oblivious of the day’s agenda. For the young one, it was irrelevant that a prayer was in progress; a one minute silence was under observation; or that the tune of a solemn song was being digested by the mourners. It was as if George’s spirit was reminding the mourners that regardless of his departure, life’s cycle had to continue uninterrupted and it did. Then, came one moment that was very difficult to cope with.
Mourners were invited to pay their last respects by passing by the casket and touching it in a symbolic last time contact with George. The casket was sealed and there could be no viewing. At this point, emotions began to run high as mourners struggled to restrain tears from flowing down their cheeks. It was understandable when others lost control and began to weep, prompting emergency supply of shoulders to cry on, serviettes at hand to wipe off or supress tears from ever leaving the eyes.
Whether you liked it or not, it was the moment to come to reality with the hard fact that George had actually completed his journey on this planet, leaving relatives and friends alike with their daily struggles, rat races, battles, competitions, rivalries, successes, failures, disappointments, bitter wars of attrition, hot gossip, envy, rumours, problems and what have you!
Later, the mourners retreated to the coffee room for a chit-chat and to reminisce. Some mourners left immediately after the Mass to attend to other obligations. There were plenty of refreshments including mandazis. Once the reception was over, the mourners dispersed in different directions. We left the Chapel in Odada’s car together with Odero and Adero.
From the Chapel, Obor’s body was driven directly to Arlanda International Airport where it will be stored until Monday morning. The body leaves Stockholm on Monday morning and will be flown by KLM. Obor’s wife and daughter will accompany the body on the same flight and arrive in Nairobi on Monday evening.
The body will then be off-loaded and driven to a funeral home in Nairobi for preservation. The following day, Tuesday, April 17th, the body will be flown to Kisumu and upon landing at Kisumu International Airport, it will be driven to Aga Khan Hospital where it will be preserved. On Friday, April 20th, the body will leave Kisumu by road for South Nyanza for burial on Saturday April 21st 2012.
Speaking to KSB, Mr. Jared Odero, Chairperson of the “George Obor Fund Raising Committee” in Stockholm, thanked everybody who made it possible for Obor’s body to be transported to Kenya. He said that the family was extremely grateful for the solidarity of Kenyans, friends and sympathizers alike following the sudden demise of the late Obor. Odero hoped that Kenyans will continue to show the same level of solidarity in future especially during times of tragedy.
Okoth Osewe
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