Onyeka Onwenu spoke on how she wanted to be buried
In a reflection shared three years ago, veteran Nigerian singer and actress Onyeka Onwenu revealed her wishes for how she would like to be remembered and buried.
The iconic artist, known for her powerful voice and activism, was said to have died on Tuesday night at the Reddington Hospital in Lagos after slumping at the birthday party of Mrs Stella Okoli.
“Do it quickly, quietly and privately,” Onwenu wrote in an opinion piece in 2021, emphasising that her burial should be devoid of unnecessary fanfare.
She urged her loved ones to “mourn, yes but not excessively,” and to instead 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.
“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 touched on broader cultural practices, condemning the lavish display of wealth often seen at Nigerian burials.
