Sir Mathew Oguike laid to rest.
2 min read
The remains of Uba Umuaka born foremost educationist and community leader, the late Sir Mathew O. Oguike were committed to mother earth on December 19, 2024 in his Umuezikoha Uba Umuaka home town.
By 7 am on Thursday 19 December 2024, the remains of the late sage had already been brought home from the mortuary in a motorcade by members of Knight of St John International, a Catholic Church sect which the late Sir Oguike was a functional member.
On the arrival of the corpse, the Knights moved the body straight to the lying in state room and shortly after that, family members, Knights and other mourners were called to pay their last homage to the spirit of the man who inspired many youths in Umuaka to acquire western education by being the first person to be admitted in an American university. Umuezikoha Uba Council of Chiefs was a prominent community organization that also paid her last respect to one of their fallen members. Soon after that, the burial which was exclusively handled by the Knights took another shape as they started to perform their different rituals and by the time they were done, the body of Sir Oguike was then taken to Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Nne Enyemaka) Shrine where a requiem Mass was celebrated for the repose of his soul.
During the Mass, Umuaka Times reporters observed that most of the people in the congregation had some reservations in view of the language used to celebrate the requiem for a man most of them knew and loved dearly; the Mass was conducted in Latin language and this to a large extent appeared like a spiritual turn-off to many. When the Mass service came to an end, it was a sort of relief to many who never understood any word in Latin language. Both those who “understood” and those who never did, joined the motorcade led by the Knights to the ancestral home of the late Chief Mathew Okoroaku Oguike in Uba.
When everything was put in place during the time of graveside prayers, the officiating priest, the Knights and the altar boys began their Catholic rituals for the repose of the soul of the big daddy.
Shortly after all the rites and prayers had been made, the body of the late 91 year old educationist, chieftaincy title holder, a Knight of St John International, a retired principal, a sage and the last of the titans was permanently lowered into the six feet tomb exclusively prepared for him, putting an end to a highly eventful life that lasted for over 8 decades.
Several activities such as cultural dances, diverse forms of entertainment, shows and a good number of high profile Akalites and others from other communities outside Igboland graced the burial ceremony. A good number of Nigerians who returned from the diaspora was also noticed during the burial.
