FAREWELL TO EZE S.N. UGORJI: A First Class Funeral for A First Class Traditional Ruler 

By Chinedu Edward Ogwuni

It was a burial for the ages. Just as he had invested heavily in support of his father’s quest to become the first traditional ruler of Lorji Nwekeukwu Autonomous Community in Aboh Mbaise, Imo State, Dr. Ugorji Okechukwu Ugorji spared no expense to give the late HRH Eze Stephen Nwabueze Ugorji, a burial unlike any.

On May 22, 2025, over ten thousand people flooded the small community of Lorji to participate in and/or witness the farewell to one of the most revered and respected traditional rulers in all of Mbaise nation.

The late Eze Ugorji was buried with honour, dignity and pageantry in his historic palace. He was ninety one (91) years old.

The former Commissioner for Homeland Security and Vigilante Affairs, Dr. Ugorji, and the Eze Ugorji Burial Committee headed by Professor Paddy Njoku of Lorji (former Rector of Imo Polytechnic), put together a one-week celebration of life to commemorate the death of the Orji Ukwu 1 of Lorji Nwekeukwu Autonomous Community. Meticulously planned and religiously executed, some of the events were novel.

 Igbasu Eze Ugorji

At exactly 5:00 am in the morning of February 27, 2025, Dr. Ugorji, who is the first son of the late traditional ruler,  announced to the world, through two hundred and sixty (260) cannon shots, that something monumental had happened at Lorji. But what exactly happened?

At 12 noon on the same date, the Eze-in-Council of Lorji Nwekeukwu Autonomous Community, the titled men and women of the community, and the  executives of the Lorji Nwekeukwu Association for Progress (LNAP) responded to an invitation for a meeting from Dr. Ugorji. At the meeting, which took place in the palace of the late traditional ruler, Barrister Charles Akwuete (the President General of the town union, LNAP) formally announced that the first son of the late Eze had informed him that Eze Ugorji had “traveled” and would not return in the same form the people had known.

Confirming the news, Dr. Ugorji told those who gathered that he had lost his hero and role model.

He assured everyone that Eze Ugorji would be given a burial that will become exemplary for a traditional ruler. He also assured that all Igbo traditional and Christian rites that were due for the Eze will be done. A one year mourning period was immediately declared at Lorji Nwekeukwu, and a burial committee constituted.

 The Traditional Rites and  Meetings

Starting on the day before the formal announcements, about twenty nine meetings were held between the family and several stakeholder groups. The groups included the Ugorji Royal Family, the maternal home of Eze Ugorji, the immediate kindred of Eze Ugorji, the Ama-Ala of Eziala Ukwu (Eze Ugorji’s village), the Ama-Ala of Umueze in Chokoneze (the in-laws of Eze), the Youth of Lorji Nwekeukwu, the Catholic Church parish council at Lorji, to mention only a few.

 A WEEK OF CELEBRATION OF LIFE

The burial plans for Eze Ugorji included Dances of Our Fathers and Youth Wrestling for the Eze (May 19th), The Day for the In-laws (May 20th), The Return of Eze Ugorji from the Mortuary to Lorji (May 21st.), Lying in State (May 21st), Funeral Mass (May 22nd), Internment (May 22nd), Ituaka for Eze Ugorji (May 22), and Outing Mass/Thanksgiving (May 25th).

 Dances of Our Fathers

This event was the concert of traditional dance troops from Igbo land. It featured several masquerades, Abigbo Mbaise, Ikoro, Ohafia War Dancers, Ekpo, Eshe, Obiankpor, to mention a few.

A highlight of the day was the Youth Wrestling for Eze Ugorji. Two categories of young men from Lorji Nwekeukwu competed for top monetary prizes: Heavy Weight and Middle Weight. The winner in the Heavy Weight category (Henry Iheukwumere Njoku)  danced away with seventy five thousand Naira, while the runner up received fifty thousand Naira. The winner in the Middle Weight category (Ugoma) received fifty thousand Naira, while the runner up received thirty thousand Naira. All other participants received ten thousand Naira each. All prizes were presented by Dr. Ugorji.

 The Day of the In-laws

Eze Ugorji had seven adult children, all of whom were married. This day was reserved to welcome all in-laws, many of whom came with traditional dancers too. The in-laws who were formally represented came from Umunama, Chokoneze, Ehime Mbano, Ogbe Ahiara, Umuahia (Abia State), and Ozobulu (Anambra State).

 Eze Ugorji Returns

Traditional Rulers of Aboh Mbaise, titled men and women of Lorji Nwekeukwu, executives of LNAP, the Youth of Lorji Nwekeukwu, the women of Lorji Nwekeukwu, and the Abigbo of Lorji Nwekeukwu, converged at the Holy Rosary Hospital Mortuary Emekuku in the morning of May 21st, to escort the remains of Eze Ugorji back to Lorji. He was received at the Aboh Mbaise LGA Council Hall, at Umunama (his maternal home), and at Amuzu. He rode on a Chariot into Lorji, accompanied by a 40-member brass band and Ohafia War Dancers.  He was received by the original four villages of Lorji at the Ekeukwu market place.

The traditional rulers of Aboh  Mbaise finally handed the casket of the late traditional ruler to his family, led by his first son and the head of the family, Dr. Ugorji. The handover took place at the entrance gate to the  Eze’s compound, after which Dr. Ugorji welcomed his father with kola nuts and his first public libation in honour of the traditional ruler.

Later that afternoon, a Colloquium was held in honour of late Eze Ugorji. Moderated by Mr. Ferdinand Ibechordoh, the Colloquium featured Professor Chigozie Nnabuihe of the University of Lagos, Professor Paddy Njoku, Mr. Chimezie Njoku (the first President General of Lorji Nwekeukwu), and others.

A night of songs by the Catholic Church ended the listed activities for the day. The Ahiara Catholic Diocese Choir was the featured choir, along with the choir of the St. Andrews Parish Lorji.

 Lying in State

Eze Ugorji’s body lay in State for two days (May 21st and 22nd). Over one thousand people filed by his casket to view his remains.

 Eshe and Ituaka

Led in a dancing procession by the Eze’s first son, men and women of Lorji participated in the first segment of Ituaka for the late Eze. Ituaka was the public declaration of Eze Ugorji’s accomplishments and deeds. Dr. Ugorji told the participants that not only was Eze Ugorji the first university graduate of the kindred, he, in the tradition of “Ochiri Ozua,” educated and funded the education of several others after him.

 Funeral Mass

Officiated by His Lordship, Bishop Okezuo Nwobi of Ahiara Diocese, the funeral Mass for Eze Ugorji took place on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at St. Andrews Catholic Church, Lorji. The casket of Eze Ugorji, draped in the Nigerian flag, arrived at the church on the same chariot that had brought him home the previous day.

In giving thanks during the Mass, Dr. Ugorji apostrophized that the biblical verse of Mathew 16:18 became manifest in the life of Eze in three distinct ways. “Upon this rock, I will build my church.” At the family level, the Ugorji family was elevated on the shoulders of the late Eze Ugorji. At the community level, a new autonomous community known as Lorji Nwekeukwu was created and built on the shoulders of Eze Ugorji. And with respect to the Catholic Church, a new parish known as St. Andrews was established at the behest of Eze Ugorji, along with a brand new Church building.

An accomplished story teller, Dr. Ugorji’s  narrative painted the picture of the man (a metaphorical rock) upon which a family was elevated, a new autonomous community established, and a new Catholic Parish and Church building were built.

 Interment

The Chariot, the brass band and the Ohafia Dance troop took the remains of Eze Ugorji back to his compound, where he was once more received by the family, led by Dr. Ugorji and the  widow of the late Eze, Ugoeze Anastasia Ngozi Ugorji.

HRH Eze Stephen Nwabueze Ugorjii was laid to rest in a mausoleum-like gravesite within his palace. The final rites were administered by Rev. Father Kenneth Nwachukwu, the Catholic Priest of the St. Andrews Parish.

 Final Phase of Ituaka

After the internment, the dramatic rhythm of the Eshe drummers started calling on the Eze’s first son to prepare for the Final Phase of Ituaka. Over three hundred men and women joined Dr. Ugorji in the long dancing procession, during which the last major rite for late Eze took place.

The family opted to hold the final Ituaka at the same joint on a major community road in Eziala Ukwu, where the Ituaka for the Eze’s father and grandfather were held long before his.