The remains of Shimite Winifred Bello were buried yesterday at Ebu, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State.
Until her death on Monday, April 21, 2025 in a controversial circumstances, Shimite was the Special Adviser to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Trade and Export.
On behalf of Ebu Kingdom, Prof. Kemi Emina, the OdiEga of the Kingdom read a tribute in honour of Shimite at a night of Tributes organised by the Delta State Government at the Dome Event Center, Asaba, which we reproduce below:
A Tribute to the White Eagle: Farewell to Ojorshimite Winifred Nwakalo
We are gathered here in this sacred Dome, beneath the watchful gaze of God, to bid farewell to a woman whose presence loomed large in the hearts and lives of all who knew her.
Ojorshimite Winifred Nwakalo was no ordinary soul, she was a woman of immense strength, indomitable will, and formidable intellect. She did not live in whispers, but in thunder — not in shadows, but in the unrelenting blaze of the sun.
She was a proud Queen and daughter of Ebu, and she never hesitated to say so. She was our Ugofufu — the White Eagle — and indeed, she spread her wings in beauty and power, soaring with grace and purpose.
Oh Shimite, larger than life… Even now, I struggle to speak of you in the past tense. It shatters something inside me. You were not just my sister and confidant — you were my truest friend. We shared hours of laughter, dreams, and deep conversation. You trusted me, leaned on me. You honored me with your respect, and I loved you with all my heart.
Our last conversation, my beloved Ugofufu, was just two days before you transitioned into glory. Again, it was about our beloved community, Ebu, a community that despite all her contributions seems to have been forgotten and is at the verge of extinction . It was a Saturday morning. I had called to thank you for your tireless advocacy for our people in Ebu. The Commissioner for Rural Roads, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, had spoken both fondly and humorously of your persistent lobbying to have the Ilo-Ebu and Ezi axis roads tarred. With a smile, he said:“My Ebu people! Mrs. Shimite is always on my neck about those roads. Don’t add your own — her wahala is enough ooo! I’ve promised her — even if just to be free from her pressure — those roads will be done.”
I relayed this to you with a laugh, urging you to keep “disturbing” him. And you laughed — that full, hearty laughter — and promised that you wouldn’t stop.
That was Shimite — relentless in her love, unwavering in her mission, fierce in intellect, radiant in presence, and unyielding in compassion.
She wore her humanity with honesty. Yes, she had flaws, as we all do — but she never pretended.
With Shimite, there was no mask. Her candor was her crown, and with her, you always knew where you stood.
Shimite was a force. Whether you loved her or found her difficult to understand, one thing was certain — you could never ignore her. She was a pillar of Ebu, of service, of hope for the poor, the widowed, and the voiceless. Her treasure was not gold or silver, but kindness, freely given. She understood what Christ meant when He said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
Indeed, Shimite was our Amazon, our Ambassador, our beloved Ugofufu. Like a Roman General, she came, she saw, she conquered — and now, she rests.
Ebu has lost a rare gem. We are silenced by the weight of our sorrow, yet we entrust her radiant soul to the mercy of God, confident that the One she served — through the least of His children — has welcomed her with open arms.
This loss has stunned us. It has left an ache too deep for words. Yet we hold fast to the quiet comfort that in her final hour, she was not alone. No soul departs alone — for Christ Himself walks us home. In Him, death is not the end, it is the beginning. It is not darkness, but dawn.
Let us remember the Shimite who carried burdens we never saw, the one whose strength masked solitude, whose sharp wit often guarded a tenderness too long unspoken. For even the fiercest hearts grow weary. Even the boldest spirits yearn for rest.
In death, all distinctions fall away. Before God, the Queen and the servant, the wealthy and the poor, the mighty and the meek — all kneel in the same dust, all rise by the same mercy.
And so, we commend her soul — not as perfect, but as precious, not as faultless, but as fearlessly human. We trust that the God who sees the innermost heart also saw the flicker of grace that burned within her. We trust that the One who numbers our days welcomes His children home — not because they were flawless, but because He loves them still.
Though her time among us was brief, her impact was eternal. Scripture captures this mystery so beautifully: “The virtuous man, though he die before his time, will find rest. Length of days is not what makes age honorable, nor number of years the true measure of life; understanding, this is man’s grey hairs, untarnished life, this is ripe old age. He has sought to please God, so God has loved him; as he was living among sinners, he has been taken up. He has been carried off so that evil may not warp his understanding or treachery seduce his soul; for the fascination of evil throws good things into the shade and the whirlwind of desire corrupts a simple heart. Coming to perfection in so short a while, he achieved long life; his soul being pleasing to the Lord, he has taken him quickly from the wickedness around him. Yet people look on, uncomprehending; it does not enter their heads that grace and mercy await the chosen of the Lord, and protection, his holy ones” (Wisdom 4:7–15)
We plead with the Delta State Government whom she served beautifully unto death to honour her memory by tarring the Ebu –Ezi road, and the Ilo – Ebu road.A road she wished tarred before her untimely demise.
We are dust, and to dust we shall return. But, in God’s mercy, dust is never forgotten.
Adieu, Ugofufu of the Universe.
Adieu, woman wey sabi.
Adieu, great Queen and daughter of Ebu — land of immense opportunity and blessing.
PROF. KEMI EMINA is the OdiEga 1of Ebu Kingdom.
