Ibiasoegbe Community Buries Eze Onyebuagu In Pomp’s & Peaceful at 80 year
by Anselem Anokwute
The people of Ibiasoegbe Autonomous Community in Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State has given a befitting burial to their monarch HRH Eze Dennis Onyebuagu in pomps and peaceful atmosphere , Thursday 11, April 2024.
The sleepy town of Ibiasoegbe, Oru-West local council of Imo State , was agog with boisterously last Thursday as a revered traditional ruler, Eze Denis Ezinne Chukwuemeka Onyebuagu was laid to rest in his palace.
The burial ceremony was the climax of activities lined up to give the late royal father his final respects.
The late Eze Onyebuagu, 80, an accomplished university administrator, died last December after a brief illness in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The burial rites kicked off with a requiem mass at the St Paul’s Catholic Parish, Ibiasoegbe, with the newly inaugurated Auxiliary Catholic Bishop of Orlu Diocese, Most Rev Thomas Obiatuegwu as the chief celebrant.
The first indigenous Catholic priest produced by the community, Rev Fr Anselem Nzekwe, led other indigenous priests and religious and a host of other priests drawn from within and outside Orlu Catholic Diocese to the requiem mass.
In his sermon, Rev Fr Everastus Nwagbara, described the late royal father as a man who was not only in love with the Church, but also in love with God.
Nwagbara also noted that the late Eze Onyebuagu was a peace loving royal father who always stood for truth, peace and justice.
While consoling the family of the late traditional ruler and the Ibiasoegbe community the cleric urged them follow the footsteps of their late father and traditional ruler.
The Parish Priest of St Paul’s Catholic Church, Rev Fr Kingsley Ebosie praised the late royal father for his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and always identifying with church.
Fr Ebosie therefore urged the family of the late Eze Onyebuagu to continue in the footsteps of their late father in his love for God and the church.
Shortly after the mass, the remains of late Eze Onyebuagu was moved to his palace for a private burial.
With the burial over, the grounds of Agummiri Central School, venue of reception of guests turned into a carnival atmosphere with different cultural and dance troupes from within and outside the community entertaining the crowd at the event.
Leading a delegation of Ibiasoegbe/Ofeahia Central Development Committee, Chief Aloy Igwe, recalled the peace loving nature of late Eze Onyebuagu, noting that “Eze Onyebuagu would not be forgotten by the community.
Igwe, who holds the title of Ugwumba 1 of Ibiasoegbe, assured that the memory of the late royal father would be kept alive as the community strives to make progress.
Also speaking, Chief Clifford Onwu, the traditional Prime Minister of Ibiasoegbe submitted that the late royal father “did not die, but only transited to higher glory”.
Also speaking, Chief Donald Okoli, while aligning himself with earlier speaker, paid glowing tributes to the later traditional ruler.
He described the late Eze Onyebuagu as a “good man who always stood by the truth and assured the family of the late late Eze Onyebuagu that the community would always stand by them.
