….Says Catholic Priests, Families and Well-wishers as Sir Okekenta Laid to Rest in Enugwu-Agidi
By Michael Nnebife and Emmanuel Chigozie
The atmosphere at St John’s Catholic Church, Enugwu-Agidi in Njikoka Local Government Area, LGA, Anambra State, was solemn as relations and the associates of the Okekenta family of Enugwu-Agidi, gathered at the Church, for a burial Mass in honour of their Patriarch, Chief Sir Anthony Chukwudi Okekenta.
The Mass, which took place on Friday 23rd May, was graced by numerous religious men and women from Awka and faraway dioceses, who included Rev Fr Kizito Okekekameme of Alabama State University, United States of America; noble Knights and Ladies of St John’s International, Warri, Sapel and Asaba Commanderies; community leaders, who included the Traditional Ruler of Ichida in Anaocha LGA, Anambra State, Igwe Charles Ezeudogu; Catholic statutory and pius organizations as well as social groups such as Oha-Na-Eze Ndigbo, Anambra Union in Warri; Social Club of Nigeria, among others.
Speaking in homily during the Mass, Rev Fr Martins Nwakaeze of St Gregory’s Church, Akwaeze in Anaocha LGA, admonished Christians to live their lives in God to gain eternal life in heaven. Fr Nwakaeze described death as a transition to eternal bliss in heaven for those that lived an earthly life and died in God. Nwakaeze noted that when a man dies while living in and for God, his death is a transition to eternal bliss in heaven.
While expressing belief that the late Sir Okekenta has gone to live with God in heaven, he recounted how the deceased fought for and defended Catholic faith in Enugwu-Agidi and its environs.
The Cleric enjoined his children to follow in the footstep of their father. In vote of thanks during the Mass, a daughter of the deceased, Mrs Chinenye Okeke, appreciated the congregation for honouring her father. Mrs Okeke said that her father lived a fulfilled life and left a legacy which she noted, he always advised her, the siblings and the children to uphold wherever they find themselves. ‘My father loved Igbo culture so much; he always advised us to speak the Igbo language.
‘When he visited us in America, I once engaged him in conversations, asking him about the greatest achievement he had made. ‘He said, he could no longer make use of a two-storey building he erected before the age of 40. ‘He told me that this and many other things he had achieved are vanity upon vanity; but his joy was those he helped to become useful in life,’ Mrs Okeke said. ‘He taught us to always do good, and help our fellow human beings without relenting,’ she added.
Speaking with Fides, one of the sons-in-law of the deceased, Mr Silvanus Okeke, described his father-in-law as a philanthropist, Igbo-loving man, among others. According to him, the father-in-law singlehandedly fought and won a battle against ‘oke-ite movement’ of the late Eddy Nawgu era.
Also, the leader of the noble Knights and Ladies of St John International, Warri Commandery, Sir Anthony Ariagbobe, described Sir Okekenta as a pragmatic and result-oriented man. ‘He singlehandedly brought Knights of St John International to Warri Diocese,’ Ariagbobe said.
To the Chairman, Catholic Men’s Organization, CMO, St John’s, Enugwu-Agidi, Mr Osita Amaliechi, Okekenta was a committed Christian, pillar of CMO, and advocate of the Igbo language. Mr Amaliechi and Sir Ariagbobe urged the children of Sir Okekenta to keep on the legacies their father left behind by following in his footstep.
Interment at Okekenta family’s compound, climaxed the Holy Mass presided over by the first indigenous Catholic priest of Enugwu-Agidi community, Rev Msgr Luke Anameze of SS John and Paul Church, Awka, after which condolence visits by friends, associates, and well-wishers of the family, among others, followed at the compound.
The burial ceremonies, which commenced with service of songs, at Ascension Catholic Church, Shaguolo in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria, on Wednesday 30th April, were a beehive of activities with Vigil Mass presided over by the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, at the Okekenta family’s compound, on Thursday 22nd May; condolence visits by the in-laws, the well-wishers, the Enugwu-Agidi Traditional Title-holders, among others, on Saturday 24th May; and Thanksgiving Mass, at St John’s, Enugwu-Agidi, on 25th May.