Death of Ebonyi commissioner: Umahi curses accusers, rumour mongers

By CHARLES IWUOHA

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has placed a curse on possible masterminds in the death of his Commissioner for Infrastructure, late Engr. Fidelis Nweze.

Umahi also extended the curse to all who in one way or the other, have originated the rumours that Nweze’s death was manipulated by some highly placed political actors in the state for some personal interests.

Governor Umahi rained the curses on Friday while speaking during a pre-funeral service in honour of Nweze by the state branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in collaboration with the state government, held at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki.

The church service was part of activities lined up towards the burial of the Commissioner scheduled to hold on Saturday, September 25, 2021.

The Governor, who was visibly pained by the death of his Commissioner, expressed rage over the unfounded rumours which trailed his death, attributing them to the handiwork of opposition elements in the state.

He pronounced that whosoever had a hand in Nweze’s death shall die within the year, while same fate shall befall those who spread unfounded rumours, pointing wrong accusing fingers over the death.

Umahi said: “But was I very angry at a time? Yes.

“Even Jesus Christ was angry sometime also.

“You know the Bible says that anyone who will repay evil for good done to him, evil will never depart from his family.

“When a Governor openly shed tears severally over the death of his Commissioner, and evil men and the so-called opposition and cultists have the effrontery to go to social media to accuse: this one killed Nweze, that one killed Nweze.

“If you know who killed Nweze, why don’t you kill the person; what are you waiting for?

“Archbishop Ede was begging me as father of the state to forgive, but God has not told me to forgive, because sometimes, something needs to happen so that people may know that there is God.

“I will continue, I will say it tomorrow: anyone who has hand in the death of Nweze will not pass this year, in the name of Jesus Christ.

“And anyone who partakes in the wicked rumour about the death of Nweze, the same fate will follow such persons in Jesus’ name.”

Paying tributes to late Nweze, Umahi described him as a good, obedient and dedicated fellow, generally loved within the ranks of his Executive Council and beyond.

He noted that late Nweze’s invaluable contributions would continually be missed in his administration, as he, and the late Commissioner Uchechi Okah were particularly instrumental towards the realization of the Ebonyi ring road project.

He strengthened his vow to do everything within his powers to uphold Nweze’s family.

He said: “I will proudly say that God raised late Engr. Nweze up through me; God empowered him through me.

“And for this, I’m so grateful.

“So with late Engr. Uche; Engr. Uche was such a very terrible miss to us, before this one happened.

“I have always said that without Engr. Uche and Nweze, and Barrister Chioma, the ring road wouldn’t have been a reality.

“But the good thing is that there is no good done unto me in this government that will be forgotten, that’s why we have decided to honour Engr. Nweze this much, for all his toils and commitment, alongside with each and every one of us.

“We want to pledge that we will stand with the family always.”

In a brief homily, the State CAN Chairman and the Southeast CAN chairman, Rev.Fr. Abraham Nwali, maintained that the quality of one’s life was not measured by length of days, but by the number of lives one touched positively.

He extolled the virtues in the life of Nweze, noting that he, like Jesus Christ, impacted positively on so many lives within his short existence.

He further challenged Christians to employ their positions in lifting others as no one knows when he would be called home, adding: “the timing of God is timelessness, and the timing of man is in hours, minutes and seconds.”

The service was preceded by a Valedictory Executive Council meeting in late Nweze’s honour at the Governor’s Conferences Hall, new government house, Cebtenary City, Abakaliki.

News Express reports that Nweze died in an Abuja hospital on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 due to injuries sustained in a car accident while on official assignment, along Abakaliki-Enugu express way.

Mixed reactions had trailed his sudden death with some alleging that he was killed while others reacted with disbelief.

The mixed feelings culminated in a widespread rumour of his resurrection some days after his death.