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HOW I SHOULD BE BURIED – ONYEKA ONWENU
Three years ago, veteran Nigerian singer and actress Onyeka Onwenu shared her reflections on how she wished to be remembered and buried.
In an opinion piece for Premium Times in 2021, Onwenu expressed a desire for a simple, private farewell without extravagant ceremonies.
“Do it quickly, quietly, and privately,” Onwenu wrote, emphasizing that her burial should be free from unnecessary fanfare.
She requested that her loved ones “mourn, yes, but not excessively,” and instead celebrate her life with prayers and light-hearted moments.
“Celebrate me with prayers, lunch or dinner afterward. Share some jokes about me and laugh. Make merriment and then go about your business,” she advised, noting that she would prefer to enjoy celebrations while alive rather than having them occur after her passing.
Onwenu also criticized the lavish displays of wealth often associated with Nigerian funerals, contrasting her wishes with the extravagant funeral of Obi Cubana’s mother. “I am very uncomfortable with the lavish display of wealth on any occasion, especially in a time of hardship for many others,” she remarked, advocating for more modest and meaningful tributes.
Onwenu, a multifaceted figure in music, film, and activism, has made significant contributions through her roles as chair of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture, a judge on the X Factor series, and as an author of the autobiography *My Father’s Daughter*.
She passed away on Tuesday night at Reddington Hospital in Lagos, after collapsing at Mrs. Stella Okoli’s birthday party.
