How I want to be buried – Onyeka Onwenu in 2021

Onyeka Onwenu, the renowned Nigerian artist, actress, and activist, had shared her personal wishes for how she wanted to be remembered and laid to rest

In a reflective piece from 2021, Onwenu expressed her preference for a modest and private farewell, free from grand ceremonies.

Onwenu passed away on Tuesday night at Reddington Hospital in Lagos after collapsing at Mrs. Stella Okoli’s birthday event.

Known for her influential voice and contributions to Nigerian culture, Onwenu had requested a simple and unobtrusive departure.

She wished for a quick and quiet burial, advising her family and friends to mourn without excessive sorrow.

Instead, she hoped they would honor her memory through prayers and light-hearted celebrations.

In her 2021 reflection, she emphasized that her friends should celebrate her life while she was still alive, sharing joy and laughter together, rather than waiting until after her d3ath.

Onwenu wrote, “Do it quickly, quietly, and privately,” stressing that her burial should be free from excessive fanfare. She asked her loved ones to “mourn, yes, but not excessively,” and to celebrate her life with “prayers and lighthearted moments.”

“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.”