Tribute: Annie Okonkwo, humanist, barn of compassion – Aka Ikenga

Late Senator Annie Okonkwo was recently described as a decent humanist whose barn of compassion beamed as Ndigbo specialty and radiated as a national toast. This is as the Lagos funeral processes for the deceased holds this week at Harbour Point in Victoria Island, with a Mass at Catholic Church of Assumption in Falamo, on August 17 and 18 respectively.

A foremost Igbo Think-Tank, Aka Ikenga, gave this description in a condolence message to the Okonkwo family.

Read the tribute released by Mr. Collins Steve Ugwu, the Group’s Director of Communications, and signed by Aka Ikenga president and secretary-general, Agbalanze Chike Madueke and Ogbueshi Mark-Anthony Nduka-eze respectively: “We deeply commiserate with his dearest wife, Lady Chinyere Okonkwo, the family, and the Ojoto people of Anambra State, on whose distress a towering canopy is lost to elevated eternity, peace and rest.

“No doubt this hurt is intense to the family, but we, at Aka Ikenga, mourn together with you, a member on whose forage of industry, people were nurtured and many more nourished. He became a man of stature early, who rapidly expanded the plant of his father into an oak of business brilliance, illuminating tunnels of burdens as he sowed hopes in charities, raised pillars amongst men, and led in the front for Ndigbo renaissance in strength and character, to enhance our collective prosperity and greater unity.

“Sen Annie Okonkwo was an excellent family Dad, proudly Ojoto, but Agunechemba lived for Idemili, laboured for Anambra, fought for Ndigbo, and served Nigeria, with a signature simplicity of access to all, that easily qualified as his best epitaph. He edified giving as eminent, even at a pain not seen because receiving was made respectable. Nothing could be prouder for the man he was, than the out-pour of consensus for his footprints on the best sides of our collective affections and worthy memories.

“We are therefore consoled to celebrate Agu, that his provenance of service to his people is ably transited in the flag his son, Hon. Uche Harris Okonkwo now beholds, and will hold dear to the finest honour for family, humanity and God as well. As his requiem rites draw close, be assured of solemn companionships in persons and prayers, who in their numbers bear flames of love, to avail the spirit of a true lifter express lift unto the realm of comfort, through praises, commendation and divine mercies.

“Adieu Agunechemba, Good bye OKAKA Ojoto. Respects to Igwe of Ojoto, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Gerald Mbamalu”.