30/07/2024
COMMENTARY ON THE LIFE OF LATE HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, EZE, EZEJI, SIR, EMMANUEL. IRONDI. OGBONNA KSM, FIPAN, CP (OKE ENYI 1 OF OKPOROENYI-OHAZU) as written by PRINCE CHIGOZIRIM OGBONNA
ACCORDING TO RALPH WALDO EMERSON, "THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS NOT TO BE HAPPY. IT IS TO BE USEFUL, TO BE HONOURABLE, TO BE COMPASSIONATE, TO HAVE IT MAKE SOME DIFFERENCE THAT YOU HAVE LIVED AND LIVED WELL". THIS APTLY DESCRIBES THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF HRH, EZE EMMANUEL IRONDI. OGBONNA, A REMARKABLE LEADER, A LOVING FATHER, AND A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN.
BORN INTO THE DYNASTY OF OGBONNA ARO IN PRESENT DAY UMUOBASI VILLAGE IN NNENTU NGWA TOWN OF OKPOROENYI-OHAZU AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY IN ABA SOUTH L.G.A OF ABIA STATE BY LATE PA BERNARD OGBONNA AND MADAM LUCY OGBONNA ON 25TH DEC., 1942; EZE EMMANUEL OGBONNA WAS A FLAME THAT BURNT SO BRIGHTLY TO THE END.
EZE EMMANUEL OGBONNA WAS A MAN OF MANY PARTS, AND HIS LIFE WAS A TESTAMENT TO HIS UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO HIS RELIGION, CULTURE, AND HIS PEOPLE.
DEDE EMMA AS HE WAS FONDLY CALLED BY MANY WAS A GUIDING LIGHT, A SOURCE OF LOVE AND STRENGTH, AN ACCOMPLISHED FARMER, EDUCATIONIST, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR, AND A CATHOLIC KNIGHT OF ST. MULUMBA.
DURING HIS LIFE TIME, HE SERVED AS THE SECRETARY OF THE OLD ABA ZONAL CATHOLIC COUNCIL, THE PIONEER SECRETARY OF THE PASTORAL COUNCIL OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF ABA, THE GRAND PATRON OF THE CATHOLIC MEN ORGANIZATION OF ABA DIOCESE, AN EXECUTIVE MEMBER OF NIGERIA UNION OF TEACHERS ABIA STATE COUNCIL, THE CHAIRMAN OF NIGERIA UNION OF TEACHERS ABA SOUTH CHAPTER, AND THE EDUCATION SECRETARY OF ABA SOUTH L.G.A.
CORONATED AS THE OKE ENYI 1 IN 2005, EZE EMMANUEL OGBONNA WAS A COMMUNITY LEADER WHOSE WISDOM AND LEADERSHIP IMPACTED SO MANY PEOPLE. HE LIVED HIS LIFE FOR OTHERS, AND ACCORDING TO ALBERT EINSTEIN, "ONLY A LIFE LIVED FOR OTHERS IS A LIFE WORTHWHILE". FURTHERMORE, EZE EMMANUEL OGBONNA IMMORTALIZED HIMSELF, BECAUSE "WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OURSELVES ALONE DIES WITH US. WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR OTHERS AND THE WORLD REMAINS AND IS IMMORTAL" - ALBERT PIKE.
EZE EMMANUEL OGBONNA JOINED HIS ANCESTORS ON 09TH JUNE 2024 AFTER A BRIEF ILLNESS, LEAVING AN INDELIBLE MARK FOR POSTERITY. AFTER LYING IN STATE AT 08:00AM ON 02ND AUGUST 2024 AT THE D**E AKOLAMBA PALACE, THERE WILL BE A FUNERAL MASS IN HIS HONOUR AT ST GABRIEL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH NNENTU NGWA, FOLLOWED BY AN INTERMENT AT THE D**E AKOLAMBA PALACE.
EZE EMMANUEL OGBONNA IS SURVIVED BY HIS LOVING WIFE, UGOEZE VICTORIA CHIOMA OGBONNA, SIX CHILDREN AMONG OTHERS.
