Brigo’s son performs funeral service

Fr Bonnie Anthony Abraham, an ordained priest, performed the last rites and delivered the homily for his father who passed away last week Tuesday at age 77.

Brigo, veteran calypsonian and actor, died from complications arising from a stroke he suffered a few days before. He was also said to be suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Abraham said he and his siblings were honoured to be called Brigo’s children saying they were taught many family values as children.

He urged the packed congregation to take care of their children no matter what was happening in the home, or in society.

“Fathers take care of your sons, mothers take care of your daughters.

Long ago young people would follow old people’s funerals, now today that has turned around. We are burying too many of our young people.

“The answer is not the political parties, but it is the family. There must be unity within the family again,” he said.

Abraham said he was introduced to spirituality by his father, and even did his thesis at the seminary based on his father’s works.

“Daddy had a love of neighbour and he would stop and talk with everybody, and he had a passion for the art form. He was willing to sacrifice family for the art form.

“My father had little or no certification, but you would be amazed by how much education he had. Today, I want to recognise a woman who stood by my father during so much, my mother (Joyce Snaggs),” Abraham said as he called on his mother to stand.

After receiving a whipping for stealing the neighbour’s mangoes when he was a child, and blaming his sister, Charmaine, Abraham said he learned a lesson for life.

“Don’t take people’s things and put it in your pocket. Daddy taught me values. We live in a world that is very selfish. We need to go back to the old time days and remember the values we were taught,” he said.

Abraham said his father was in no way perfect, but he recognised his failures.

“My father was a gifted man. He was shy in personality, but when he went on stage he was transformed.

Do not wait until a person dies to sing their praises, do it while they are alive. Don’t give up on yourself, believe in your life.

You were born for a purpose and my hope is that my father’s legacy will live on,” he said.

Abraham said he would turn his thesis into a book to preserve Brigo’s legacy.

He also called on the congregation to “dig deep” in their pockets when the collection baskets were passed around at the end of the service.

“My father’s passion was to help others. Dig deep in your pockets, not for the church nor the family, but for TUCO (Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation) so they can give it to the next calypsonian who is ailing or sick.

“My father died a lonely death.

We need to look out for calypsonians more. When we see them we need to ask them how we can help,” Abraham said.

Brigo’s body was later interred at the D’Abadie Public Cemetery.