Igbo Elite Group Mourns Senator Okonkwo, Describes Him as Humanist

Sunday Okobi

As friends and family concluded funeral arrangements for late Senator Annie Okonkwo next weekend at the Harbour Point in Victoria Island in Lagos, a foremost Igbo Think-Tank, Aka Ikenga, has described the late distinguished federal lawmaker as a decent humanist and a great man “with compassion that beamed as Ndigbo specialty and radiated as a national toast.”

While reacting to his passage in a condolence message and tribute to the family, which was made available to THISDAY yesterday by the group’s Director of Communication, the Igbo elite policy group said: “We deeply commiserate with his dearest wife, Lady Chinyere Okonkwo, the family, and the Ojoto people of Anambra State, on whose distress a towering canopy is lost to elevated eternity, peace and rest.”

 A Mass for the late senator will hold at the Catholic Church of Assumption in Falamo, Ikoyi  in Lagos State on August 17 and 18.

The tribute, which was signed by the Aka Ikenga President and Secretary-General, Agbalanze Chike Madueke, and Ogbueshi Mark-Anthony Nduka-eze respectively, stated that: “No doubt, this hurt is intense to the family, but we at Aka Ikenga mourn together with you, a member on whose forage of industry, people were nurtured and many more nourished.

    “He became a man of stature early, who rapidly expanded the plant of his father into an oak of business brilliance, illuminating tunnels of burdens as he sowed hopes in charities, raised pillars among men, and led in the front for Ndigbo renaissance in strength and character, to enhance our collective prosperity and greater unity.”

 The Igbo elite group stated that Senator Okonkwo was an excellent family man and “proudly an Ojoto indigene that lived for Idemili, laboured for Anambra State, fought for Ndigbo, and served Nigeria, with signature simplicity of access to all that easily qualify as his best epitaph.

 “We are, therefore, consoled to celebrate Agu, that his provenance of service to his people is ably transited to his son, Hon. Uche Harris Okonkwo, who will hold dear to the finest honour for family, humanity, and God as well. As his requiem rites draw close, be assured of solemn companionships in persons and prayers.”