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Family, friends remember Nnamdi Inyama

By Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri
24 October 2017   |   3:39 am
It is exactly one year today that Nnamdi Remmy Inyama, Deputy Editor (News and Features) of The Guardian, was pronounced dead at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Nnamdi Inyama

• Shower praises on the late Deputy Editor (News/Features) of The Guardian

It is exactly one year today that Nnamdi Remmy Inyama, Deputy Editor (News and Features) of The Guardian, was pronounced dead at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The death was sudden as neither members of his family nor his colleagues at The Guardian knew that events would take a turn for the worst when he complained of a biting headache.

A year after, his family, colleagues and other acquaintances still find it difficult to discuss Inyama in the past. Nnamdi, who was buried on November 18, 2016, at his family compound after a requiem mass at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Itu, Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Council of Imo State, would have celebrated his 59th birthday on Nigeria’s Independence Day, October 1.

Even in death, Inyama, who held many positions in The Guardian, including Deputy Editor, Acting Metro Editor, News Editor and Chief Sub Editor, is still being fondly remembered.

Speaking on the first year anniversary, his uncle, a retired professor of English at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Nnadozie Inyama, said although the family had no plan to hold a memorial service for their late son, he is still being remembered as one of the best things to have happened to the family.

He said: “We are missing him by his death. We remember him after a year he died. He was such a nice person. But there is no elaborate remembrance. I believe in reincarnation. Remmy has not come to life. I know he will reincarnate and come back to the family. My father trained Remmy’s father. His father reincarnated last September as my son. I am a believer in the Igbo belief on that. Please do what you people can to commemorate him.”

Also speaking of her late husband, Nnamdi’s wife, Akunna Inyama, said his sudden death “gave us so much pain and heartbreak. Words cannot express my feelings. Your death still leaves me speechless. We are filled with deep thoughts daily. You were a figure that represented different pictures to different people.

“If anybody told me you would go so early, I would not believe. The worst that happened was on my birthday. I woke up and Sonma came in. She said: ‘Mummy, I know you will not cry. Daddy is not here to tell you happy birthday and present your gift… When I came back from work, she gave me sweet and said, ‘from Nkiru, Chinaza, Sonma and Daddy.’”

She thanked the management and staff of The Guardian, former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, management and employees of Holy Trinity Hospital, Ikeja and relatives, especially Dame Comfort Obi, Prof. and Mrs. Nnadozie Inyama, Obi Royal Family Ezedibia Emekuku Owem, friends, neighbours and associates, for standing by the family this past year.

One of his former colleagues, Christian Okpara of The Guardian’s Sports Desk described Inyama as a quintessential journalist, who devoted his energy to ensuring that The Guardian maintained its position as Nigeria’s leading newspaper.

He said: “Nnamdi also loved life, especially his rock music. I remember several times when we would sit in the newsroom discussing the various changes in rock music from the days of Rare Earth, Led Zepellin, Grand Funk to the current decade of the Cold Plays of the world.”

Another colleague, Eno Bassey, said: “Nnamdi was not only my colleague but also my teacher. I remember him daily. May God grant him eternal rest.”

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