By Charity Uwakwe
Encomium flowed on Saturday, as the remains of late Chief Augustus Onyemauche Onuoha, Okosisi Ejirimaramba 1 of Umuchieze who had lived for 80-years, were returned to mother earth, at his country home, Ekereazu, in Ahiazu, Mbaise LGA of Imo State.
The epoch making funeral ceremony had in attendance His Excellency Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE, FNIQS, Hon. Darlington Nwokocha, Member respresenting Isiala Ngwa North / South Federal Constituency, Royal High Chief Uche Akwukwaegbu, (KJW), aka. Bawas, Hon. ThankGod Kelechi Ibeh, Governorship Aspirant of Anambra State 2021 election, and a lot of other dignitaries.
Speaking during the funeral mass, His Excellency Kwankwaso urged the congregation and all well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the peaceful lifestyle as exhibited by the deceased.
He prayed God to grant the bereaved, Chief Chima Onuoha Echeozo and his entire family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, while describing Echeozo as a living legend.
Furthermore, the former Governor of Kano State expressed great delight over the warm reception accorded to him by the bereaved.
“Today, we had to come here personally to pay our last respect to late Chief Chief Augustus Onyemauche Onuoha. And I’m happy to be in the midst of the good people of Umuchieze. I pray God Almighty to bless Echeozo and his entire family and relatives”, he said.
Addressing Journalists, the traditional Prime Minister of Ibeku land, in Umuahia North LGA of Abia state, Royal High Chief Uche Akwukwaegbu, (KJW), aka. Bawas who is the father-in-law of Echeozo, decribed the latter as a true son who is endowed with so much respect for elders.
“He is my son and since he got married to my daughter, he has never stood before me to speak disrespectfully. He is the only one my wife calls to calm me down whenever I’m angry. He is a good son-in-law. And my prayer is that God will help him grow more than I, enjoy long life and prosperity more than I and have great love and peace in their home.He used the medium to urge Nigerian politicians to emulate the good deeds of Kwankwaso whom he described as the pilot of youth empowerment and development.
He said: “when Kwankwaso was the Governor of Kano state, he sent more than 2000 Northerners from Kano to be trained as Pilots, Engineers, Doctors, etc. And I am of the opinion that if every governor will emulate Rabi’u Kwankwaso, youths cannot riot or protest because all of them will have something to do.
Bawas, therefore, advised politicians in the country to gainfully engage the youths, noting, “just like Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. He sent may youths to China to learn how to be on their own. That is why you did not see much misharp in Abia state during the protests unlike in other states.
Earlier in his remarks, Hon. Darlington Nwokocha commended chief Echeozo for the mind captivating last respect done to his late father, stressing that the act has attracted honour to the bereaved and the entire Igbo nation in general.
“Sincerely speaking, you don’t know why I’m happy. An Igbo adage states that ‘when a child washes his hands clean, he dines with elders’. There were certain persons I saw today and I was shocked. They must surely testify to their people of what a great man Echeozo is. And if they must have respect for our son, Echeozo, by extension, they must also have respect for the Igbo nation.
According to the Legislator, the deceased though in the grave will ever be proud of his son’s affluence and immense wisdom, adding, “we pray pray that God Almighty who has given you the strength and enablement to achieve such great feat will keep you longer than your late father”, he said, as he prayed for journey mercy upon all who had come to mourn with him.
Corroborating, the PDP Chairman, Owerri Zone, Imo state, Hon. Pascal Ozo described death as inevitable but expressed joy that the deceased had been able to live a fulfilled life, having returned to his creator at age 80.
On his relationship with Echeozo,the tparty chairman has this to say:
“Echeozo is a very nice guy, very sociable and accommodating and of course, very focused and that’s why you see such caliber of men here today and I encourage him not to derail from the peaceful footprints his late father left for him and his family. He should not also relent in his good deeds”, he added.
He advised Nigerian youths to direct their energy to “very meaningful ventures, as he highlighted the critical need for skill development, while pointing out that the “days of government employment are gradually eroding. So, they should acquire skills and find away to develop it.”
Responding, the influential son of the deceased, Echeozo who has over the years been preaching to Nigerian politicians on good government and youth development, amidst ecstasy, thanked all and sundry for putting in appearance at the ceremony.
Echeozo described his late parents as epitome of peace, love and kindness, and pledged to continue from where they had stopped in maintaining good legacies that would outlive him.
Hear him: Without being told and with what happened today and with what they said, this tells that my father left a good legacy. He was a very good man, a straight forward man ,a nice man, a peaceful man and hates quarreling. I never knew he was such a great person, but let me rest my case on that.
Continuing, he said: I’ll continue to live in peace, be a helper to everyone and be humble just like my mother because my mother helped alot of people ,i will continue to maintain that legacy.
“I have been empowering the youths for many years now ,and many youths from my local government have benefitted from the empowerment . I invested also on the windows. I build houses for the widows, I enjoy helping people and I enjoy encouraging our youths.
Fielding questions from Journalists on his relationship with Kwankwaso, Echeozo whose joy knew no bounds said:
“I’ve been working with him for seven years now, am the only Igbo man that travel with him on a particular private jet,his a very lovely man and i will continue to pray for him to be a president one day, and I have been advising politicians in imo state and Nigeria in general to emulate the person of Kwankwaso”, he concluded.
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