Anambra Assembly holds valedictory service for ex-parliamentarian Onyekwena

The Anambra State House of Assembly is set to hold a valedictory session for Second Republic member of the House, Sir Ernest Onyekwena, who recently passed away at the age of 78.

The Deputy Director of Infectious Diseases Advocacy at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Obinna Onyekwena, stated that the event will take place at the Anambra State House of Assembly Legislative Building on Thursday next week.

Presidential candidate of the opposition Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, is to attend the funeral of Onyekwena, who was a close ally of former President Shehu Shagari during the Second Republic.

Onyekwena served alongside Shagari, the late Vice President Dr. Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme (GCON), and the then Executive Governor of Anambra State, the late Chief Christian Chukwuma (C.C.) Onoh, during the Second Republic.

Scheduled to attend the funeral, slated for Friday, 30th of this month in Ufuma, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, are Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, and the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai.

READ ALSO: Anambra Assembly amends state electoral law

Also expected are the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uche Ugwu, traditional leaders from around the country, as well as other notable Nigerians and individuals from around the world.

Prominent Nigerians from around the world have begun to send in their condolence messages.

In his message, His Royal Highness, Diji III of Ufuma, the traditional ruler of Ufuma town, described the late Onyekwena as a community champion. He called on all natives of Ufuma to come out en masse to pay their last respects to the late Chief, Sir, Engr. Dr. Ernest Madu Onyekwena.

The late Onyekwena, popularly called Omekannaya 1 Ufuma, lived from 1946 to 2024. He was an accomplished Agricultural Engineer, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE), and a Registered Engineer with the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). He was also a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Agricultural Engineers and a one-time South-East Regional Chairman.

He was a pioneer in agricultural engineering, leaving an indelible mark on the industry through his innovative projects and his dedication to improving food security in Nigeria. His career, spanning over five decades, was marked by an unwavering commitment to innovation and a passion for building a stronger agricultural infrastructure.