The death has been announced of Mrs Josephine Nnem Onyeke (nee Agbode) of Ogbozalla-Opi in Nsukka Local Government of Enugu State at the age of 85.
Mrs Onyeke, the mother-in-law to Hon. Malachy Agbo, Executive Chairman of Igbo-Etiti Local Government, Enugu State passed on Sunday, June 17, 2018 after a brief illness.
A statement issued by Chief Uche Onyeke, a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, for the family, said that late Mrs Onyeke was born in 1933 to the family of Asogwa Agbode, of Umuduligwinye, Uwelu Ibeku, Opi in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.
A statement issued by Chief Uche Onyeke, a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, for the family, said that late Mrs Onyeke was born in 1933 to the family of Asogwa Agbode, of Umuduligwinye, Uwelu Ibeku, Opi in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.
“As the first child of the family of seven, Mrs Onyeke was only able to scrap minimal education before she got married to Late Chief Joseph Onyeke of Amagbodu Ogbozalla-Opi. She spent her early married life and most of her youth days with her husband who then lived and worked with then prestigious United African Company (UAC) at Onitsha, Anambra State”, it said.
The statement further said that during their stay at Onitsha, the matriarch of the family was fully into trading, dealing with food items and household commodities in her shop at Ose Okwodu but the stay was truncated by the Nigerian Civil War (1967 – 1970).
“The family finally settled at Opi, where along with some women who shared her vision, began the very prosperous “Ashua Elugu”, which then entailed buying farm produce from the nearby markets and taking same to Enugu nearly every three days.
“Her success in the trade attracted hundreds of other merchant women from Opi in the trade. Her house was the depot and terminus for movement of the commodities. Her flair for trading never waned even at old age, as she continued to buy and resell at Ahor Opi which is nearer her,” the statement said.
The statement said that she was well-known for her generosity to all, adding that hardly will anyone pay her a visit without having something to eat or drink.
“As a devout Christian, Mama was nominated by the St. Charles Catholic Church, Opi for the award of the prestigious Ezinne Award, the conferment of which would have taken place in August 2018.
She is the matriarch patron of Ofuobi Women, an association of Christian women of Amaogbodu Village. She was also a member of the Sacred Heart prayer group among others.
She is survived by five children including the Cost Controller, Abuja Sheraton Hotels, Mrs. Okwor Angela Okechukwu, the Chairperson of Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, Mrs Nwanneka Agbo, grand and great grand children, brother and sister among others.
“Burial arrangements will be announced by the family soon”, the statement added.
