APGA National Chairman Set To Bury Dead Father, Commends Soludo For Sustaining late Father
By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha
The National chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Barr. Sly Ezeokenwa, has commenced arrangement for the burial of his late father, Chief Ezeokenwa, aged 71 years who died after a protracted illness.
According to APGA National chairman burial arrangement will commence in earnest on Thursday, 17th June with a valedatory session at Onitsha South Council Secretariat (dress colour APGA uniform ) for all APGA Onitsha South members.
Then from the local government same Thursday, in a motorcade to the Local Government Party Secretariat at Miss Elems Street Fegge, for a brief stopover and address by the Onitsha South party chairman and a ward chairman.
Making the disclosure at the Council Secretariat during the Onitsha South Stakeholders and State Working Committees meeting, Sly also stated that aside the bereaved family, Onitsha South is the number one Chief mourner, followed by the Knights of St John and Umuchu Christian Community.
According to him,”This is the only family my father has known for the past 23 years. This year is the 23rd year of my father in APGA, when his sickness started I made all effort to relocate him to Lagos and Abuja but he stood his ground that he must not be taken away from Onitsha South. So I obeyed him because I have seen that it gives him joy, this showed the amount of love he has for APGA, even attending to every issue on his sick bed.
“Then on the 18th, July, 10.00 am, burial mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church Fegge by the Arch Bishop of Onitsha Archdiocese, His Grace Most, Rev, Dr Valerian Okeke. On Friday, 19th July, burial mass in his hometown, Umuchu, in Aguata Local Government, by Cardinal Okpalaeke.
The National Chairman commended Governor Charles Soludo For sustaining his father, saying that it is not financially, but in honour, lamenting that in his father’s lifetime, the party he suffered for, sacrificed for, did absolutely nothing to him, but the person he did not serve , came in, heard about his contributions in APGA Onitsha South and honoured him, disclosing that Governor Soludo declared his father a hero.
Ezeokenwa advised APGA faithful to ensure that their children are registered members of APGA, stating, “We are going to make sure we reward those that suffered for the party because the former National Anthem said that the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain.
“We must continue to pay homage to our leaders, if not in your life time, it may be your children, but we pray it would be in our lifetime. Your son/daughter might be given a seat of a Councillor because of you, we would ensure that whatever that is due to you are offered to you or to your children because of you, it can come as a job appointment.
“But the law of karma is simple, you reap what you sow, if you sow sacrifice into APGA , you are going to reap reward, that is the level we are today.
“It was because of my father’s consistency and sacrifice as the founding father of APGA, not only in Onitsha South LG but the entire APGA, that keeps me where I am today. My father once made a remarkable statement, that he loved APGA so much that he has even sacrificed his begotten son”
The National Chairman recalled his sacrifice during his time as the party legal adviser, adding that this life is continuous, as he is reaping his reward and that of his late father today.
He thanked the Mayor for the valedatory session that would be held at the Council Secretariat, and expressed the undiluted love of the people of the area towards his late father, saying that they showed him that he has a family in Onitsha South LG.
Reacting, the Mayor on behalf of the people of the area, thanked him for his contributions so far in the politics of Onitsha South, recalling his father’s achievements in the area, and stressed the need for the love showered on him as a founding father of the party.
