Ezeana Awelle Nkonadi, Ezeana Ononikpo Ozo, Ezeana Ozomma, Ezeana Eluemeze, Ezeana Ofulu ozo; a griot takes his final goodbye.
Chief Simon Nwachukwu Ezekwe was born on March 19, 1933 to Chief Ohuchalu and Mrs Akuejesi Ezekwem of Ezenwoye village, Nnukwu Clan in Adazi Nnukwu of present day Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra state. He was born a member of the Roman Catholic faith and was baptized on July 7, 1933. His late father, Ohuchalu Ezekwem Eyisi Ofulu Ume was a well-established business man and philanthropist.
Chief Simon grew up amongst 6 siblings and is survived by just one of them, his younger sister, Mrs Christie Nwogu. Unfortunately, his father died on February 10, 1950, leaving a teenage 17-year-old Simon marooned in a crisis of self-identification.
A determined Simon, braced himself, picked up and faced his life challenges stoically, traversing all over Nigeria in search of the Golden Fleece; from the plains of northern Nigeria to the shores of South South in Calabar, where he met and married his wife, Helen Ezekwe, nee Igboko, now late. Together, they had four children of which one is now late and 3 are alive and thriving.
The advent of the civil war disrupted and interrupted his plans, forcing him to abandon his business in Calabar to seek refuge in the southeastern part of Nigeria.
Immediately after the war, Chief Simon Ezekwe moved his family to Aba and reestablished himself as a consummate businessman. He established series of businesses at Portharcourt, Aba and Calabar. Chief Simon ran these businesses successfully till he retired and relocated back to the village. In the village, he assumed a position as a clan chief till his demise recently.
Chief Simon Ezekwe was a very wise man, an orator and a family man. He also served his community, Adazi Nnukwu, in various platforms, offering wise counsel at critical moments. He was also a historian and repository of knowledge and culture.
The tenure of Chief Simon Ezekwe as clan chief witnessed a lot giant strides, chief amongst them was stability and peace in the clan and Adazi Nnukwu in general.
In early 2016, Chief Simon Ezekwe was formally inducted into the prestigious Ozo title society of Adazi Nnukwu. He was also officially confirmed a clan chief early last year; a position he held till his death on August 26, 2021.
Late Chief Simon Nwachukwu Ezekwe is survived by 3 children and 9 grand-children. He was 88 years old. Funeral rites in line with the traditional ozo burial rites started yesterday and will end on Thursday, January 20, 2022.
May his gentle soul continue to find solace in the bosom of the Almighty, Amen.
WRITTEN BY EMEKA EZEKWE
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