The esteemed songwriter, singer, and actress Onyeka Onwenu, who passed away on Tuesday, had expressed her desire for a modest burial three years prior.
In a 2021 opinion piece for Premium Times, the 72-year-old highlighted the significance of a serene and private send-off.
Onyeka wrote, “Do it quickly, quietly, and privately,” advising her loved ones to “mourn, yes, but not excessively,” and instead celebrate her life through prayers and cheerful moments.
She further detailed her wishes, “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.”
Onyeka passed away on Tuesday following a performance at industrialist Stella Okoli’s 80th birthday celebration. She was declared deceased by medical professionals at Reddington Hospital on Victoria Island, Lagos.
Onyeka, born in 1952 in Obosi, Anambra State, embarked on her musical career in the 1980s. Her first album, “For the Love of You,” was released in 1981.
She continued to captivate the world with numerous hit songs including ‘One Love,’ ‘Ekwe,’ ‘You and I,’ ‘Iyogogo,’ ‘Dancing in the Sun,’ and ‘Falling in Love.’