the lives of 157 souls on board, including that of the erudite scholar, acomplished academic, Mbaise-born intellectual and the 5th substansive vice-chancellor of Federal University of Technology Owerri- Prof. Celestine Onyemaobi Eriye Onwuliri.
As a mark of honour to the late Onwuliri, his colleagues at the Imo State University, Owerri on Wednesday, June 20, in their full academic regalia, held a valedictory session to bid him farewell.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Bethram Nwoke, led the session, where the colleagues of late former FUTO Vice Chancellor showered encomiums on him. They described him as a great scholar, scientist and an astute administrator
par excellence.
On the same day, the Imo State government organised an interdenominational service for Onwuliri and 32 other victims from the state who died in the plane crash.
Markets in the Owerri metropolis remained closed during the period, while all the state senior civil servants in their black converged on the Ahiajoku Convention Centre, Owerri venue of the ceremony. The clergies, in attendance, offered prayers to the repose for the victims.
The state governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, led the state executive council members for candle light procession, while the speaker, Hon. Benjamin Uwajiogu and others followed in order of sequence.
The first Bible reading drawn from the book of Thessalonians 3:18 was read by the Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso. Uwajiogu took the reading of the second scripture from Psalm 50: 1-6, while Pastor Comos Ilechukwu took the third Bible reading from Psalm 39:1-7. The wife of the state governor, Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha read from 1 Corinthians 15, 50:58.
Also in Onwuliri's honour, the leadership of the FUTO Student Union Government (SUG) organised a candle light procession on campus. The students handed over their letter of condolence to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Cyril Asiabaka, for onward transmission to the family.
The FUTO community, on Thursday June 21, was shocked to its foundation when Onwuliri's body arrived the campus 2.30pm. A Senate session was organised in his honour at the institution's Senate chamber for an hour before proceeding for a Requiem mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Chaplaincy.
Two years has passed since your demise, but the scar you left on us ,only time can heal.
OH WHAT A GREAT LOST NIGERIA ,HOW A WHICH WE ALL CAN FOLLOW HIS FOOT STEP
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