A clergyman, Rev. Bassey Umoh, has advised Christians to live a good life as it is the portion of every Christian to die.
Umoh in his sermon at the funeral of Chief Kalu Okonta, at his country home, Igbere, Abia, on Saturday, said what was not the portion of Christians however, was an untimely death.
The Minister-in-Charge of First Aba Parish of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria stressed the need for people to enjoy life while alive.
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The clergyman, who was represented by Rev. Onyeani Kalu, said that “ good life does not translate to wealth.
“Since life is unreliable, enjoy your life. You do not need millions to enjoy your life. The chicken of a poor man is his cow.
“Enjoy your life and glorify God.’’
The clergyman said that people should remember that life was brief and that afterlife, something must follow.
“What follows depends on how you lived, and where you will spend eternity depends on how you lived on earth,’’ he stressed.
He decried giving prominence to prosperity in Christian sermons, stressing that there could be prosperity without diligence.
Speaking on the life of the deceased, Umoh said that Okonta prospered materially and spiritually because he conducted his affairs on earth with diligence.
Elder Ngozi Udogu, daughter of late Okonta, who read the father’s biography said that the deceased, who was born on Dec. 17, 1930, lived as a good Christian.
Udogu said that Okonta was ordained as an Elder by the First Aba Parish on Aug.11, 1996.
She said that as a result of his community service, he was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Oji Udo Eme Uwa 1 of Igbere on Dec. 28, 1993, by the late traditional ruler of Igbere, Eze Samson Ukaegbu.
Okonta’s first daughter, Mrs Nnenna Obike-Ukoh in her tribute, said that if death was not inevitable, her father’s good deeds would have prevented him from dying.
Prof. Ogwo Ekeoma Ogwo, former Vice-Chancellor, Abia State University in his tribute, said that Okonta was not the typical businessman, but was largely a self-effacing, low profile, but the effective operator.
He said that the Okonta family should be satisfied that they had a worthy patriarch, who contributed to the growth of the family and the community.
The late Okonta, who died on Jan. 15, at the age of 89, left behind many relatives, including Mr Obike Ukoh, a Deputy Editor-In-Chief with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Senate Chief Whip Orji Kalu was among dignitaries that were present at the ceremony.
