Three years ago, veteran Nigerian singer and actress Onyeka Onwenu shared her desires for how she wished to be remembered and buried.
Onwenu died on Tuesday night at Lagos Reddington Hospital after collapsing at Mrs. Stella Okoli’s birthday party.
However a 2021 opinion piece for Premium Times has surfaced online where Onwenu requested that her burial be “quick, quiet, and private,” free from unnecessary fanfare.
She urged her loved ones to mourn but not excessively, and instead to celebrate her life with prayers, joyful moments, and laughter.
The legendary singer also addressed broader cultural issues, criticizing the lavish displays of wealth often associated with Nigerian funerals..
She specifically contrasted her wishes with the lavish funeral of Obi Cubana’s mother, which stirred controversy.
“I am very uncomfortable with the lavish display of wealth on any occasion, especially in a time of hardship and lack for most others.
“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,” she said.
