The eldest daughter of a former Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Mrs Alexandria Onyemelukwu, on Friday night, described the late politician as a caring but disciplined father.
Onyemelukwu stated this in Lagos at the ‘Night of Tributes and Music’ organised as part of the funeral for Ekwueme.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ekwueme died on November 17, 2017 at the age of 85. Onyemelukwu said Ekwueme gave all the normal things that a comfortable father would give his children, but not luxuries.
She said their father never pampered them but provided their needs. She said, “My father was a highly disciplined man who never tolerated excesses from his children and he never pampered us. “He taught us never to see life as a bed of roses in spite of our privileged background.
“He would only provide for us our needs, not our wants. He just wanted us to be contented with whatever we had. While others were carrying modern bags to school, he would buy us ‘Nnewi-Must-Go’. Somehow, our mother would find a way, without him knowing, to get us those bags we wanted.
“As children, we used to grumble, wondering how a comfortable man would not want to grant our wants, but as we grew older, we realised that he was actually preparing us for an independent life.”
Onyemelukwu stated that the way the deceased handled his children had made them to be well-moulded and they had him to thank for their accomplishments today.
According to her, one of the greatest things they learnt from him is modesty and hard work. Onyemelukwu, who was the Peoples Democratic Party’s deputy governorship candidate in the last Anambra elections, described her father as a great politician and lover of the people. She said her father’s accomplishments in politics gave her the inspiration to foray into politics.
She thanked all those present at the event, saying the family was honoured by their show of love to the deceased. Dignitaries on the occasion included a former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaokwu; Minister of Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who also paid tributes to the late Ekwueme at the event.
Others who attended the event are, a former Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi; a former Ogun State governor, Chief Segun Osoba; Prof. Pat Utomi; foremost businessman, Mr. Tony Elumelu; Chairman of Seplat Petroleum, Dr. Ambrose Orjiakor; and banking mogul, Otunba Subomi Balogun, among others.
