Victor Ejimadu laid to rest in Nnerim Amandugba.
2 min read
Wednesday January 3, 2024 was an unusual day in Umudioma Nnerim Autonomous Community in Isu LGA Imo State. On this eventful day, the community played a painful host to a large number of visitors especially those from Umuaka and the United States of America who came to pay their real tributes to the late Hon Victor Ejimadu who died in 2020 in faraway United States of America. From what Umuaka Times gathered during the internment, all the burial rites were performed during the symbolic burial of the gentleman in 2020. “Today,” according to Mr Obioma Lebeoha, “we are not doing a second burial. We are only doing the internment of our brother because all the burial rites had already been performed in 2020 when our brother died.”
The announcement made by Mr Lebeoha was able to direct the people properly especially those who had no real information concerning what was going on.
When the requiem Mass began which was held in the family compound of the deceased, about 5 reverend fathers were in service and some of them came all the way from the United States. During the readings, it was the first son of the deceased that took the first reading while the second reading was taken by one of the daughters of the deceased also. What shocked mourners as she was taking the second reading was that the girl, despite being born and bred in America, fluently used Igbo language to read the gospel passage.
Shortly after that, was gospel time. Rev Father Peter Iwuala who also came from the United States delivered the sermon and he talked about the life and times of the late Honourable Victor Ejimadu. He described him as a man who feared God and reminded the congregation that the late Ejimadu did not die but transited. He prayed to God to accept his soul in His Paradise.
As a part of the announcement made by Obioma Lebeoha, only family members were allowed at the graveside. The remains of the late Victor Ejimadu were interred inside a particular potion in his house.
After blessing the grave by the officiating priest, the body of the deceased was placed on top of the grave with an iron suspender. The first son was called upon to operate the switch-like device. Immediately he did that, slowly, the casket started to lower itself down to the grave.
Final prayers were made. The priests and family members of the late icon were called to perform the ritual of first putting the first sand in the grave with the help of a shovel. When that was done, the priest called for the undertakers to complete the burying process. The call signaled the final end of a man born on August 28 1963 and died on June 30 2020. What a tragic end of a journey of a lovely father, brother, uncle and husband.
