In a reflection shared three years ago, veteran Nigerian singer and actress Onyeka Onwenu expressed her wishes for how she would like to be remembered and buried.
The iconic artist, celebrated for her powerful voice and activism, reportedly passed away on Tuesday night at Reddington Hospital in Lagos after collapsing at the birthday party of Mrs. Stella Okoli.
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“Do it quickly, quietly, and privately,” Onwenu wrote in a 2021 opinion piece for Premium Times, emphasizing that her burial should be free of unnecessary fanfare.
She encouraged her loved ones to “mourn, yes, but not excessively,” and to focus instead on celebrating her life with prayers and light-hearted moments.
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“Celebrate me with prayers, lunch or dinner afterwards. Share some jokes about me and laugh.
“Make merriment and then go about your business. 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 said.
In her statement, Onwenu also addressed broader cultural practices, criticizing the lavish displays of wealth often seen at Nigerian burials.
She contrasted her own modest wishes with the extravagant funeral of Obi Cubana’s mother, an event that had sparked widespread debate across the country.
“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 remarked, calling for more modest and meaningful ways to honour the deceased.
Onyeka Onwenu had a diverse and multifaceted career, excelling in music, film, advocacy, journalism, and politics.
She served in various capacities, including as the Chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture and as a judge on the X Factor series.
Her music and writings have received widespread recognition, with notable songs like “One Love” and “You and I.” She also authored the autobiography My Father’s Daughter.
