TREM Church Mourns Pastor, Wife

TREM Mission House, Utako, Abuja headquarters of the Redeemed Evangelical Mission were in grief as their pastor, Rev. Ayodeji Cole and wife, Rev (Mrs) Ngozi Cole were among the 153 persons that perished in the Dana Air line crash last Sunday in Lagos.

A visit by The Tide to the church the morning after the crash  revealed tears, and anguish among the members.

The Tide Abuja correspondent who was at the church as early as  9.00am reports that cool gospel songs were oozing out of the altar, with scintillating instruments to back it up and while some were seated inside, others were just milling around the church premises, discussing the incident in hush tones soberly, tearfully, hugging themselves in outright disbelief and consoling each other.

Yet, others sat on the floor speechless with some lying and stretching on the grasses that adorned the compound, speechless and meditating – wondering if it is really true that their beloved pastor and his wife, their mother in the lord were gone into eternity.

At about 10.15am, a female member arrived, peeped into the compound through the iron fence and called another member by name.

Most of the members approached by The Tide were too sad to  speak on the development.

Mr Agara Emeka paid tribute to their departed pastor and his wife. Said Emeka, “I don’t know what to say, I can’t really view what is happening. It has been a dream  to me. I know who he was to me and he made everyone of us who we are today.

“I have known him for more than 15 years (as my pastor), he’s a true man of God. I don’t know what to say but he’s a true man of God”.

Justus Awaji, Abuja