How I want to be buried – Onyeka Onwenu

Onyeka Onwenu, the esteemed Nigerian artist, actress, and activist, had previously expressed her personal desires regarding how she would like to be remembered and laid to rest.

In a reflective piece from 2021, she outlined her preference for a modest and private farewell, devoid of grand ceremonies.

Onwenu passed away on Tuesday night at Reddington Hospital in Lagos after experiencing a collapse at Mrs. Stella Okoli’s birthday event.

Renowned for her impactful voice and contributions to Nigerian culture, Onwenu had requested a simple and unobtrusive departure.

She wished her burial to be conducted quickly and quietly, advising her family and friends to mourn without excessive sorrow.

Instead, she hoped they would honour her memory through prayers and light-hearted celebrations.

In her 2021 reflection, she emphasized that her friends should celebrate her life while she was still alive, sharing joy and laughter together, rather than waiting until after her death.

Onwenu wrote, “Do it quickly, quietly, and privately,” emphasizing that her burial should be free from excessive fanfare. She asked her loved ones to “mourn, yes, but not excessively,” preferring instead that they celebrate her life with “prayers and lighthearted 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.”