Ezinne Grace Uche Goes Home in a Blaze of Glory.
4 min read
Last week Friday being August 2, 2024 was a great day in Amurie Omanze community Isu LGA Imo State. On this eventful day, high profile businessmen, Nigerians in diaspora, politicians, royal fathers, clergymen, students and a host of countless others and organizations gathered in the bubbling town of Amurie Omanze to pay respect to someone who was known as a mother for all. One may ask to know what really brought such men and women of substance to Amurie Omanze on this particular day. The answer is so simple; the remains of the late Mrs Ezinne Grace Mgbechikwere Uche, a devote Christian mother and an Ezinne were laid to rest in a highly celebrated burial that almost turned to a carnival.
When the local affairs correspondents of Umuaka Times who covered the epoch-making event arrived at the family compound of the Uches in Amurie Omanze in the early hours of the eventful day, several individuals, organizations and musical groups were already waiting for the action to commence.
At about 7 am, selected family members and relations zoomed off to Aladimma Mortuary Owerri to convey home the remains of the woman of substance who was known as Eziokwu Bu Ndu due to her stand on truth and justice during her lifetime.
Those who could not make it to Owerri due to some unavoidable factors drove straight to White House Bus Stop in Umuaka and waited for the motorcade. At about 8:30 am, the motorcade arrived at White House. Those in the motorcade included, Apams funeral services, a team of trumpeters, horse riders and a team of media services consultants. With little or no delay, the final journey of Ezinne Grace Uche began. Through Obinwanne community, the motorcade arrived at Orie Amurie market and drove straight to Obiji family house in Umuduruoho Uloano Ndugba. The purpose of the trip was to pay homage to the members of the Obiji family where the late Ezinne was born before she got married.
The trip at the Obiji family and the ceremonies did not last long. The eldest son of the family and other members of the family were already waiting for the arrival of their daughter and dede. The moment the corpse of his sister arrived, he opened a bottle of hot drink and poured libation and prayed for his sister to have a safe journey back home to her father in heaven.
After the prayers, the journey began again and this time around to Amurie Omanze, the final resting place for the deceased. In about 30 minutes time, the chariot that conveyed the corpse, the dancing undertakers, the trumpeters, an army of security officials, Christian mothers, town union groups, family and friends were all in the compound of the Uches to perform the final burial rites of the iconic woman. The children of the deceased led by the first son, Prince Uche Ebere came out to appreciate the undertakers.
The lying in state was the next event that followed in order of sequence. Although, it was getting very late because the requiem Mass at St Theresa’s Catholic Church Amurie Omanze was scheduled to hold by 10 am, the masters of the ceremonies at intervals called on people and protocol officers to fasten the activities. In wasting no time, the undertakers put the corpse in order and notified the MCs who then called on family members of the deceased from Amandugba to go and confirm if the corpse in the casket was really that of their sister. A representative of the family went in and after checking the corpse, confirmed that it was the body of their sister in the casket. The viewing and the corpse then started.
The children of the late Ezinne were the first to go in. They all went in and paid their last respect. Immediately they came out, other family members, community, Christian bodies etc followed. At the end of this highly emotional segment, the journey began again and this time around to St Theresa’s Catholic Church for the scheduled requiem Mass.
At the church, it was like a Christian carnival; several Christian groups and social clubs wore their uniforms and many who had not seen their friends and family relations for long were seen by Umuaka Times exchanging pleasantries and taking selfies. Soon the chariot carrying the body of the late Ezinne arrived and the requiem Mass began immediately. The officiating priest announced that the service was not going to be long due to time and that was what was done. In about an hour and 30 minutes later, the church service came to an end.
Back home, the motorcade went for the final burial. The priest who conducted the requiem Mass was also in the family house of the Uches where the proper burial was done. In wasting no time, the lifeless body of the late Mrs Ezinne Grace Mgbechikwere Uche was lowered to the grave in accordance with Christian rites. She was 80 years old.
May her soul rest in peace.
