By Blessing Tanko and Emmanuel Afonne
The life and legacy of Mr Peter Onwubuariri have sparked a call for spiritual reflection and preparation for eternity.
Venerable Dallimore Odigie, Assistant Priest, St. Matthew Anglican Church, Maitama, Abuja, made the call at a Night of Tribute organised by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council.
The event was held in honour of Onwubuariri, an Assistant Director with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who died after an illness.
Onwubuariri was attached to the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Communications at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Odigie said Onwubuariri’s life should remind people that earthly possessions and achievements could not satisfy humanity’s eternal longing.
He said the deceased’s positive disposition, knowledge of Scripture and impact on others demonstrated a life reflecting his relationship with God.
“Peter’s positive disposition, scriptural knowledge and the impact he made on people were evidence of a life that reflected his relationship with God,” Odigie said.
According to him, Onwubuariri radiated the “fragrance” of the person to whom he had dedicated his life.
Odigie said the deceased’s life demonstrated that true consistency could only be found in God.
He described Onwubuariri’s death as a reminder that life was temporary and everyone would eventually face eternity.
The cleric cited Ecclesiastes 3:11, which states that God has “set eternity in the heart of man”.
He said the scripture should encourage people to live with an awareness of life beyond the physical.
Odigie cautioned against seeking fulfilment solely through wealth, pleasure, education, possessions and other temporary achievements.
He said the Biblical account of King Solomon demonstrated that earthly accomplishments without God ultimately amounted to “vanity upon vanity”.
The cleric challenged those attending the tribute to reflect on the legacy they would leave behind after their own deaths.
“Peter has gone. He left a very good legacy behind, and let that one console the family,” he said.
He urged Onwubuariri’s children to uphold and build upon the values their father demonstrated throughout his lifetime.
Odigie also urged the gathering to use the tribute not only to mourn but to examine their lives and prepare for eternity.
He said death was inevitable and people should not wait until their final moments before surrendering themselves to God.
The cleric also urged Onwubuariri’s family to draw comfort from his legacy and uphold the values reflected in his life.
Earlier, Mr Oche Egwa, Deputy Director, Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, described Onwubuariri as “brilliant, diligent, focused and loving”.
Egwa said he had known Onwubuariri for almost two decades, recalling that the deceased began his career with NAN as a youth corps member.
He said Onwubuariri later became a journalist with NAN and rose rapidly within the agency.
According to Egwa, Onwubuariri became NAN’s North American Correspondent within two years and covered the United Nations in New York.
Egwa said the deceased later returned to Nigeria and was posted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He said Onwubuariri subsequently joined the Presidential Villa, where they worked together for about 12 years.
Egwa said Onwubuariri remained committed to his duties even while undergoing medical treatment abroad.
He recalled that the deceased wrote press releases for the President from his hospital bed in India.
“Although the illness eventually weakened Onwubuariri physically, it did not break his spirit,” Egwa said.
He said Onwubuariri might no longer be physically present, but his reports and other contributions remained visible.
“Peter might not be with us physically here today, but his fingers are everywhere for us to see,” Egwa said.
Mrs Grace Ike, Chairman, NUJ, FCT Council, said the tributes reflected the positive impact Onwubuariri made during his lifetime.
Ike described him as “hardworking, committed, dedicated and calm”, adding that he was always willing to meet deadlines.
She urged journalists and others to celebrate and appreciate people while alive rather than waiting until their death.
Dr Uche Anunne, a Deputy Director with NAN, described Onwubuariri as a “jolly good fellow” and a friend to everyone.
“Peter was a friend to everyone and never bore grudges against anyone.
“He will be greatly missed by NAN and the Presidential Villa,” Anunne said.
Mr David Jayaola, a neighbour, described Onwubuariri as “kind, humble and loving”, saying he became like a member of his family.
Jayaola said Onwubuariri was particularly fond of children and had won the affection of his daughter.
He said the numerous tributes had provided consolation to the family and described the deceased as someone who would not easily be forgotten.
The Night of Tribute was attended by family members, NAN colleagues, State House Press Corps members and journalists from several media organisations.
Representatives of Voice of Nigeria, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria and Nigerian Television Authority also attended the event.
He is survived by his wife, children, mother, siblings and other members of his extended family. (NAN)
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Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi
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