The late icon and father-of-all, Chief Emmanuel Anyebe Apochi.
Residents of the quiet community of Owukpa, situated on the south-eastern flank of Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State woke up recently to the shocking discovery of the fact of death having snatched life out of one of their iconic leaders, Chief Emmanuel Anyebe Apochi. It was shoching for a number of reasons, the most significant of which was that prior to this shocking day, he was not known to have been seriously sick. Prior to this ugly day, at his ripe age of 82 years he overwhelmingly bestrode his immediate socio-economic and cultural environment quite naturally to the point of not being noticed to have absented himself from his daily economic engagement which traversed agriculture, and down-stream oil-products and general marketing until the news of his passage hit them like a bolt out of the blues. From Makurdi, the capital of his state of birth, to Jos, where his children and kins men have lived, to other state capitals in the norther part of the country and on to Lagos, the economic capital of Nigeria, the news of his passage reverberated across homes and circles of the community’s development associations like a thunder storm.
His burial ceremony which was kick-started Tuesday,19th of December with his internment took the ambience of a celebration of the life of the late icon as it marked the onset of the spiritual upliftment opportunities in the lives of dwellers of Udaburu, the immediate ancestral home of the departed leader. For the first time in the recent history of Owukpa community, the Arch Bishop of Otukpo Arch Diocese, His Lordship Bishop Micheal Apochi blessed and opened St. Jude Catholic Church in the community, single-handedly built and furnished by one of the sons of the departed chief, Barrister Boniface Apochi, a multidimensional Lagos based investor, to an African standard level of an enabling worship house. The Church became an effective outstation of the Catholic Church by His Lordship’s blessing. Residents of the community who spoke to Wind Sound Africa after the event were jubilant at the turn of event. They were unanimous in their conclusion that the soul saving opportunity brought to their door mouth was what the departed community leader would have wished for them to have, as they prayed for mercy on his soul by God and abounding blessings for the family members who facilitated the building of the worship house.
Barr Boniface Agada Apochi, son of the late icon and Lagos based multidimensional Investor
The second day, 20th December was marked by a novelty football match in honour of the late father-of-all who loved the game and had offered shelter and care for orphans and the less privileged in the society, thereby earning himself the honour of the match. Two popular football teams, St James International College and Winners FC, battled each other in the match in a game that surprisingly reflected the kind of resiliency the life of the departed soul was known for in all aspects of his life. The resiliency of the two teams led them to a draw after the full time of ninety minutes and extra time. However, Winners FC won the match through the resultant penalty shoot outs with the goal margin of five goals in their favour against St. James college’s four goals. Spectators at the game who spoke to Wind Sound Africa were conclusive in their observations that the end result of the match was an indication of the message of staying strong in the face of daunting challenges in Nigeria the departed soul would always want to convey to all Nigeians, but especially to his people of Owukpa land in their trying times.
Apochi Memorial Hospital, Owukpa, Nigeria.
The most outstanding event of the burial ceremony which addresses the community’s most harrowing existential dilemma is the commissioning of a fully equipped modern hospital, Apochi Memorial Hospital, in honour of the departed soul of the-father-of-all, as the late Chief is popularly refereed to by residents of the community.
Rev. Hycinth Alia, Executive Governor of Benue State
The hospital housed in newly constructed crop of structures rest on a vast space of land and has all the relevant departments that come together in readiness to undertake comprehensive diagnosis, analysis and treatment of direct and referred medical challenges from the community and other parts of the country. The hospital was commissioned by Governor Dr. Rev Father Hycinth Iomem Alia, represented by the Benue State Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Professor Joseph Ngbea, His Lordship, the Arch Bishop of Otukpo Catholic Arch Diocese Bishop, Micheal Apochi again led in prayer at the event to the jubilation of visitors from far and near, including former Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives and Governor of Sokoto State, Ibrahim Tambuwal, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Elaigwu Odogbo John, the Och’Idoma V and the Ad’Ogbadibo of Ogbadibo Local Government Area, Benue State, Chief Emmanuel Ode, amongst other dignitaries.
His Royal Majesty, Dr. Elaigwu Odogbo John, The Och’Idoma V
The epochal African historical nature and importance of the hospital to the community was echoed by a cross-section of visiting and host Community Leaders who are retired Ambassadors, top civil-service, military and paramilitary service men who spoke spoke to Wind Sound Africa. They affirmed that the number and quality of life touching developmental projects commissioned in memory of the departed soul is historical in any part of the world, especially in Africa and in the face of daunting economic drawbacks prevalent in today’s Nigeria. Wind Sound Africa confirmed that job interviews for recruitments into all cadres of medical and paramedical departments of the hospital have been completed.
