Onyeka Onwenu revealed her wishes for her burial before her unexpected passing.
The legendary singer, actress, journalist, author, and politician, renowned for her talent and activism, passed away on Tuesday night, July 30, at the Reddington Hospital in Lagos after collapsing at Mrs. Stella Okoli’s birthday party, where she performed for the last time. Following her death, an opinion piece she published on Premium Times in 2021 has garnered renewed interest.
In the article, Onyeka outlined her wishes for her burial.
“Do it quickly, quietly, and privately,” she wrote.
She encouraged her loved ones to “mourn, yes, but not excessively,” and to focus on celebrating her life with prayers and light-hearted moments. “Celebrate me with prayers, lunch or dinner afterwards. Share some jokes about me and laugh,” she added.
“Make merriment and then go about your business. If my friends want to celebrate with 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 also criticized the extravagant display of wealth often seen at Nigerian burials. “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 said.
Onyeka called for more modest and meaningful ways to honour the deceased.
