Mrs. Alexandria Onyemelukwu, the eldest daughter of a former Vice-President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, on Friday night described the deceased politician as a caring but disciplined father.
Onyemelukwu gave the description in Lagos at the “Night of Tributes and Music” organised as part of funeral programmes of Ekwueme.
Ekwueme died on Novembwe 17, 2017 at 85.
Onyemelukwu said that Ekwueme gave all the normal things a comfortable father would give the children, but not luxuries.
She said their father never pampered them as he would provide only their needs.
“My father was a very disciplined father who never tolerated our excesses as children and who never pampered us.
“He taught us never to see life as a bed of roses in spite of our privileged background.
“He would only provide us our needs, not our wants. He just wanted us contented with whatever we had.
“While others were carrying “tush bags” to school, he would buy us “Nnewi-Must-Go’’. Somehow, our mother would find a way, without him knowing, to get us those bags we wanted.
“As children, we used to grumble, wondering how a comfortable man would not want to grant our wants, but as we grew older, we realised that he was actually preparing us an independent life,” she said.
She said the way the deceased handled his children had made them well-moulded and they had him to thank for their accomplishments today.
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According to her, one of the greatest things they learnt from him is modesty and hard work.
Onyemelukwu, who was the People’s Democratic Party’s deputy-governorship candidate in the last Anambra elections, described her father as a great politician and lover of the people.
She said that her father’s accomplishments in politics gave her the inspiration to foray into politics.
She thanked all those present at the event, saying the family was honoured by their show of love to the deceased.
Dignitaries such as former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaokwu; Minister of Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Solid Minerals and Steel, Dr Kayode Fayemi took turns to pay tributes to Ekweme at the programme.
Former Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi; former Ogun State governor, Chief Segun Osoba and Prof. Pat Utomi also extolled Ekwueme’s virtues at the programme.
Foremost businessman, Mr Tony Elumelu; Chairman of Seplat Petroleum, Dr Ambrose Obiakwo and banking mogul, Otunba Subomi Balogun, also graced the programme.
Former minister, Chief Phillip Asiodu, and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Kashim Imam, led the pack of Ekwueme’s school mates at Kings College, Lagos to the programme.
A choir led by a renowned music expert, Prof. Laz Ekwueme, gave spice to the programme with music interludes. (NAN)
