By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka, Abuja
The burial ceremony of Late Ichie Elekwa, Obunali Festus, esteemed elder statesman and devout Christian, begins on September 26, 2024, in his hometown of Umudi, Umuaku, Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.
As the oldest living member of the Elekwa Family and Ezeudo the 1st of Umuaku, Ichie Elekwa was a maternal uncle to the former Chairman of the Abuja Chapter of the Association of Igbo Media Practitioners (Ogene Ndigbo), Abbanobi – Eku Onyekachukwu, who remembered his uncle as a kind and compassionate person.
Ichie Onyebuchi Elekwa, the deceased’s successor, disclosed the burial plans in a recent press interview, which was also confirmed by a funeral poster signed by the deceased’s son, Elekwa Akachukwu Joel.
Born in 1933, Ichie Elekwa passed away on January 17, 2024, at the ripe age of 91.
According to Ichie Onyebuchi Elekwa, a Service of Songs was held on September 18, 2024, at Ebenezer Methodist Church, Emene, Enugu. The body will leave Annunciation Hospital, Emene, Enugu, at 8 am on September 27, 2024.
A funeral service will take place at 11 am on September 27, 2024, at the Methodist Church in his compound, Umuaku Isuochi, followed by interment at 1 pm.
On September 29, 2024, a thanksgiving service will be held at the Methodist Church, Umuaku.
Ichie Onyebuchi Elekwa described the deceased as a reliable and open-minded person who cared deeply for his family and community.
Among others, he advised the younger generation to emulate the deceased’s legacy of living a righteous life, investing in others, and shunning selfishness.
Speaking on what he knew about the deceased, Ichie Onyebuchi Elekwa had this to say: “Untill he passed into glory, he was very reliable and had tremendously put a lot of efforts in his nuclear and extended families, by caring about everybody around him. To him, everybody around him is a human being. He doesn’t have a second thought about people and he is open – minded. Whatever he doesn’t like, he will tell you. So we know him as a straight forward person.”
On the lessons he learnt from him, he stated thus: “From his precedent, he loved investing in the young ones, thus he contributed training every other persons within his reach. He used his wealth for the well being of every person. He used to tell us to be truthful; that he is a god-fearing person, and that anything we are doing, that isn’t in line with the way of God, he should be counted out. He strictly followed Christian life and used to advise us to do so. All these are among what I learnt from him.”
Ichie Elekwa Onyebuchi therefore advised the younger ones to emulate the legacies the deceased left behind, saying that he was straightforward and makes every person to know it. “Let them learn to live a righteous life through him. He used to tell us to shun selfish life and invest wisely, for its profits,” he advised them.
Hailing members of Elekwa Family for contributing and participating in the burial funeral, he prayed that God be with the deceased’s nuclear family and Elekwa extended family in general.
