How I Want to be Laid to Rest,Remembered -Onyeka Onwenu Opened Up Three Years Ago

By: Abdulwasiu Akintunde 

In a poignant reflection shared three years ago following a candid and introspective moment, the veteran Nigerian singer and actress, Onyeka Onwenu, poured her heart out, revealing her deepest desires for how she would like to be remembered and honored in death.

The renowned artist, celebrated for her powerful voice and activism, reportedly passed away on Tuesday night at Reddington Hospital in Lagos after collapsing at her friend, Mrs. Stella Okoli's birthday party. 

In a 2021 opinion piece, Onwenu urged that her burial should be “quick, quiet, and private,” without unnecessary fanfare. 

She advised her loved ones to “mourn, yes, but not excessively,” and to focus on celebrating her life with prayers and light-hearted moments. 

“Celebrate me while I am alive so that I can enjoy it with you, not when I am gone and unaware. That is me, Onyeka Onwenu,” she wrote.  

“I am very uncomfortable with lavish displays of wealth, especially during times of hardship and scarcity for many,” she further noted.

Onwenu also criticized the extravagant displays of wealth often seen at Nigerian burials, contrasting her own wishes with the opulent funeral of Obi Cubana’s mother, which sparked national debate.

She has served in various capacities, including as chair of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture and as a judge on the X Factor series. 

Her work is widely recognized, with notable songs like "One Love," "You and I," while she is also the author of the autobiography "My Father’s Daughter."

Advocating for more modest and meaningful ways to honor the deceased. Onwenu's career spans music, film, advocacy, journalism, and politics.