To die is to be mortal and death is a debt every mortal owes. Just as Steve Jobs penned that “death is a destination we all share“, Mother Teresa equally describes death as “nothing else but going home to God”. Indeed, no one really knows when his or her clock will tick, but once it ticks, there is no excuse. So, all that is left is what we left behind.

The scenario captures the life and times of late Chinweozo Egbuna Michael Amuta. Egbuna Amuta was born on November 7, 1962 to the family of Okeleke Ogbuagu Amuta in Ogbolieke village, Onitsha. His father, Ononenyi Joseph Chukwurah Amuta and his mother, Mrs Laruba Agnes Amuta, nee Okolo, from Ikwuikhua in Etsako East LGA of Edo state had Egbuna Amuta as their second child and first son.

Young Egbuna attended Ezechima Primary school, now Saint Mary’s Primary school, Onitsha. He proceeded to Metropolitan Secondary School, Onitsha between 1974 and 1979. He bagged a degree in History from the University of Benin in 1987 and later studied journalism at the Times Journalism Institute, Lagos in 1989.

Egbuna joined the service of the Anambra Broadcasting Service in 1990 as News Editor. By 1995, he migrated to Minaj Systems LTD where he worked as the Abuja Bureau Chief and State House Correspondent. He later returned to ABS where he rose to the post of Deputy Director, News and Current Affairs.

It was for Egbuna Amuta’s dexterity with the pen that Governor Willie Obiano appointed him as a Special Assistant on Media. He was later elevated to a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Grassroots Mobilization, until his death on July 7, 2020.

Egbuna got married to his first love, Rita Ifejika, from Obikporo village, Onitsha in 1996, but lost her in 1997 after child birth, leaving a son behind. In 1999, Egbuna got married again to Maureen Amuta, nee Nwufo from Uruagu village, Umudioka. The second marriage was blessed with four children. So, Egbuna had two young sons and three daughters. In his short but eventful life, Egbuna Amuta hardly looked back in anything he believed in.

He achieved great success as a fine journalist. He was a fearless writer as his pen could do more than what a trigger would accomplish. Through the radio commentaries he wrote in ABS, he told the political stories of Anambra State for many years under various administrations. He was a fine propagandist using his pen as well as his voice in the ABS popular political program, ‘People and Politics’ as well as in the ABS flagship program he inherited tagged: ‘Face the Press’.

Egbuna Amuta was a cultural man. At the height of his accomplishment, he was initiated into the prestigious Ozo title of Onitsha, where he took the title of Chinweozo in 2019.

The death of Chinweozo Egbuna Amuta at a time when one could say that he had arrived, was no doubt a rude shock to his family, his colleagues, his political associates, the government of Anambra State and all who knew him.

Chinweozo, your wife, Maureen has not stopped crying. Your children, Nwora, Adaora, Ngozi, Somtochukwu and Chuka are still looking for you, thinking you will come back from your journey. Your colleagues in ABS are still bemused at your demise, and the government of Anambra State, whom you greatly aligned with, is in deep loss.

Chinweozo Egbuna Michael Amuta is being buried today after a requiem mass at Christ the King Parish, Onitsha. May God who knows the way of all mortals grant him eternal rest.

Adieu Chinweozo, Jee nke oma!

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