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By Henry Umahi
•New Market Square, Uburu… Deserted
For the people of Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, these are very sad times. A torrent of grief is sweeping through the community following the passing of an illustrious son of the soil, a man among men, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.
Indeed, Onu was a colossus, a legend. He was a political titan, academic giant and wordsmith in whom many were well pleased. He died on April 11 at 72.
Following the news of his passing, Uburu community exploded in tears and sorrow. Natives wailed openly, inconsolably. The grief was palpable.
The president general and the entire Amenu executive council directed that flags in Amenu Enu-Uburu autonomous community should fly at half-mast to mourn and honour their great son.
Also, all shops and social centers in Amenu Enu-Uburu autonomous community shutdown till 12 noon the following day. Similarly, all sons and daughters of Amenu at home gathered at the palace of late Eze Adu 1 of Uburu to hold brief and observe moments of silence.
In the same vein, sons and daughters of Amenu in Diaspora were implored to sit home till 12 noon or gather at a chosen location to hold a minute silence to their departed hero.
Tributes have been pouring from his kinsmen and friends who are united in grief.
According to Prince Nweze Onu, the Deputy national chairman of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP),
A paragon per excellence is gone.
He said: “Death is said to be the necessary end of every man but it is very painful to lose a dear one whose place in the society will very difficult to replace. Dr Ogbonnaya Onu was a paragon per excellence. He was a gentleman of repute, with uncompromised integrity and character. Of course, he will continue to be a reference in our polity when men of character and integrity are talked about.
“The Dike Eji Eme Udo 1 of Eastern Nigeria lived up to his callings, impacting lives and his community. His leadership ingenuity was felt in the different leadership ladders he attained and no doubt that is what distinguished him in the class of our political leadership.
“His death came as a rude shock. It is a huge loss to Ndigbo and Nigeria. We have lost a man whose love for his country is unquantifiable. Ooh, I have lost a mentor, leader and beacon of hope. I take solace in his positives deeds and pray God to grant his soul a peaceful repose.”
Chief Francis Eneh, aka Iron T, said: An iroko has fallen. The death of Dr Ogbonnaya Onu has devastating effect on us. He was a unique man, a man of peace. He came, he saw and he conquered. He will be greatly missed.”
Osuji Halifax Nwaze said: “We have lost a rare gem! My community (Uburu) has been enveloped in a dark cloud since the morning of April 11, 2024 when the passing of their foremost illustrious son, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, filtered in. Erudite scholar, first class brain, neatest politician, Mr. Integrity Dr. Christopher Ogbonnaya Onu has joined his Creator. He’s left a yawning gap difficult to be filled in the murky waters of Nigerian political space. Our pride, rest in peace.”
Dr Lawrence Uchenna Egwu, a lecturer at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umuahia described him as uncommon statesman.
Egwu said: “Truly, a goldfish has no hiding place. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, in every sense, was a goldfish; little wonder everyone describes him in the superlatives. According to Kofi Annan, ‘to live is to choose, but to choose well, you must know who you are, what you stand for, where you want to go, and why you want to go there.’
“Dr. Onu, early in life, by cheer inclination, chose to live in a nation synonymous with shark-infested pond, and in spite of all odds, he distinguished himself. He was lavishly endowed by nature, yet he was unassumingly humble, peace-loving, selfless, and above all, he was top among the few refined politicians in the history of Nigeria.
“Onu’s death is a monumental loss not only to Nigeria but to the world, and no doubt, his principles, philosophy and legacies will continually challenge the sensibility and psyche of the current and future generations. Onu, you came, you saw and you conquered. May your gentle soul rest in peace.”
Dr. Jude Umahi said that Onu did not die in vain. Take this from him: “Onu’s cry for justice for Nigeria and Nigerians, in his last Millenium public statement, has entered the Guinness book of record. “Where is Justice” will continue to resonate, until a new Nigeria is birthed. Dr. Onu did not die in vain, but has gone to the ancestors to further explore justice that is seemingly a mirage.”
For Maria Ifeoma Emmanuel (nee Paul), the chief executive officer,
Beracah Economic Empowerment Foundation, Onu was a beacon of excellence and dedication.
She said: “The news of your death filtered through the airwaves, sending Uburu into spontaneous mourning. The great Iroko has fallen. Onyibe, night has fallen at noon. As we bid farewell to His Excellency, it is incumbent upon us to honor the immense contributions he made in transforming the landscape of innovation and research in our beloved nation.
“Dr. Onu exemplified the virtues of passion, dedication and excellence, serving as a beacon for countless others. Beyond his professional achievements, Onu embodied the values of integrity and humility. At his demise, let us remember his legacy as a vanguard of progress, an architect of change and a true patriot.
“His unwavering spirit and zeal inspire us all to push the boundaries of scientific innovation, nurturing Nigeria into a global powerhouse in science, technology, and research. Thank you, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, for your exceptional leadership, dedication to excellence, and unwavering commitment to the advancement of Uburu, Nigeria and the world.
Your contributions will remain ever green.”
Amb. Akachi George-Obasi, aka Double Double, said: “It is a great deal of shock and disbelief that I learnt of your sudden transition to eternal glory. Ugo, as we fondly called you, you were truly a great leader and one of the founders of the democracy the country have experienced since 1999. You have proven In every ramification to be a detribalised, straightforward, gentleman extraordinaire and a great leader.
“Your achievements in education, particularly in science and technology, not just put your home town Uburu in the global scheme of things but Nigeria as a whole. We have indeed lost a great man. Your sudden transition is a huge loss to Ndi Uburu, Igbo land, particularly Abia State where you were the first executive governor and Nigeria. May you find eternal rest with your maker and may God almighty console your family. Go well Ugo N’Uburu.”
Dr Eze A. Eze said: “It was with profound shock that l received the sad news of the sudden death of Dr Onu. As the son of the late Eze David Aba Onu, the then Eze Adu of Uburu Ohaozara LGA in the present Ebonyi State, Onu was born into leadership but not the haughty type that scorns excellence while promoting mediocrity.
“So, from very early in life, Onu was a person of excellence right through the stages of his education till he obtained a Ph.D in Chemical Engineering in the USA bypassing the traditional M.Sc route having been a first class scholar at the University of Lagos. The leadership trait in him manifested all through the way, as he transitioned from leadership of students’ organizations through academics to public service at the then Nigercem, Nkalagu and on to political leadership as the first elected civilian governor of the old Abia State created in 1991.
“Having been bitten by the political bug, Onu re emerged in 1999 to nearly win the governorship election of Ebonyi State created in 1996. Using the same platform of APP, later ANPP, he aimed at the Presidency but later deferred to Olu Falae in the all South West presidency of pacification by the military in power in 1999.
“He remained a disciplined party man till 2013 when he cobbled up about five parties into the APC that later won the 2015 election with M. Buhari as President under whom he served as Minister of Science and Technology, bringing in visibility, vibrancy and solid achievements to the otherwise moribund ministry.
“It is a testament to his unimpeachable integrity and cleanliness in public office that his name had never been associated with graft, treasury looting and the corruption pandemic among Nigerian public office holders. He was a squeaky clean character made manifest and symbolised by his immaculate all white mode of dressing.
“In addition to having practiced ‘politics without bitterness’ or rancorous controversy, perhaps, of all the tributes and effusive encomiums that have been poured on him, that by Senator Shehu Sanni stands out: ‘He is a rare breed politician who lived as unstained, untainted and unblemished like his white apparel’. “If he had any heartbreak in his political career to serve and make Nigeria better, it was the injustice and inequity he riled against after the APC Abuja convention of 2022, which are still issues of national concern till date. 11. May his gentle soul continue to rest in peace.”
