Nigerian music icon Onyeka Onwenu, who passed away recently, had long expressed her wish for a modest and private funeral. In a 2021 reflection published on Premium Times, Onwenu requested a simple farewell devoid of the typical extravagance seen in many Nigerian funerals.
Onwenu urged her loved ones to honor her memory with quiet and intimate gatherings. “Do it quickly, quietly, and privately. Celebrate me with prayers, lunch, or dinner afterward. Share some jokes about me and laugh. Make merriment and then go about your business,” she wrote.
She emphasized the importance of celebrating life while one is alive, rather than waiting until after their passing. “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,” she added.
Onwenu also criticized the opulence often displayed at Nigerian funerals, advocating instead for understated and meaningful tributes. “I am very uncomfortable with the lavish display of wealth on any occasion, especially in a time of hardship and lack for most others,” she noted.
Her legacy, marked by a distinguished career in music, film, advocacy, journalism, and politics, continues to inspire.
