Onyeka Onwenu, last wishes before she passed away on Tuesday in Lagos, has been revealed. According to sources, the music legend had explicitly expressed her desire for a simple and private burial. She stated that she would not want the typical extravagance often associated with Nigerian funerals. Therefore, she urged her children bury her without fanfare.
This was contained in a heartfelt reflection published three years ago on Premium Times in 2021. In the interview, Onwenu requested that upon her death, she would want a quick and quiet farewell. Devoid of unnecessary pomp and circumstance.
She encouraged her loved ones to honour her memory with prayers, light-hearted moments, and modest celebrations.
She had said, “Do it quickly, quietly, and privately. Celebrate me with prayers, lunch, or dinner afterward. Share some jokes about me and laugh. Make merriment and then go about your business.”
Onwenu also emphasized the importance of celebrating her life while she was still alive, rather than after her passing.
“If my friends want to celebrate me, they should do so while I am alive. So that I can enjoy it with them, not when I am gone and have no idea about this. That is me Onyeka Onwenu,” she stated.
She used the occasion to criticize the lavish displays of wealth often seen at Nigerian burials. And therefore, advocated for more understated and meaningful tributes.
“I am very uncomfortable with the lavish display of wealth on any occasion, especially in a time of hardship and lack for most others”, she added.
Onwunu’s legacy continues to inspire, with a remarkable career spanning music, film, advocacy, journalism, and politics.
