Nigerians hold 50th memorial service for late Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, father of late Chukwuemeka Ojukwu

The 50th Memo­rial Service of Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, one of Africa’s notable millionaires and father of the late Biaf­ran leader, Chief Chuk­wuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Ikemba Nnewi) was held yesterday at St Michael’s The Archangel Catholic Church, Umu­dim- Nnewi, Anambra State.

Sir Ojukwu, who was born in 1901 and died in 1966 was a Nigerian businessman from Ojuk­wus’ family of Nwakanwa quarters Obiuno Umu­dim Nnewi.

He was the first and founding President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and President of the defunct African Con­tinental Bank (ACB). He was also either Chairman or on the board of direc­tors of some of Nigeria’s most profitable compa­nies such as Shell Oil Ni­geria Limited, Guinness Nigeria Ltd, the defunct Nigerian National Ship­ping Lines, the Nigerian Cement Factory, Nige­rian Coal Corporation, Costain West Africa Ltd, John Holt, Nigerian Mar­keting Board, amongst others.

He won a parliamenta­ry seat during the nation’s First Republic.

Sir Ojukwu attended a primary school in Asaba and the Hope Waddell Institute.

At the event, the prin­cipal of the St. Michael’s Academy who con­ducted the church ser­vice, Rev. Fr. Lawrence Nnoyiba, described Sir Louis Ojukwu’s family as a wonderful one which God exceedingly blessed in every ramification. He said that the family was a blessing to the Igbo na­tion in particular and Ni­geria in general.

The cleric prayed that God will intervene in the Ojukwu family and restore absolute peace among family members so that one day all of them would come to­gether as brothers and sisters, which he noted was paramount in the heart of the departed pa­triarch.

He urged the fam­ily members to embrace God who he pointed out could uproot any barrier to peace in the family and establish a lasting recon­ciliation amongst them, noting that there is noth­ing difficult for God.

Rev. Fr. Nnoyiba prayed at the graveside of the late Louis Ojukwu in his country home and asked God to continue to grant him eternal rest.

The cleric had in his sermon emphasised the need for people to use their wealth to serve God, help the poor and the needy, noting that any material wealth ac­quired by any human be­ing would be of no use if such wealth was not used to serve God and assist humanity.

One of the grand sons of the late first African billionaire, Dr Ike Ojuk­wu, said his late grandfa­ther was known for hon­esty, integrity, discipline and hard work which he said has been a guiding principle for the family. He advised his siblings to remain focused, hard­working, disciplined, generous and believe in God so as to maintain the legacy left behind by their progenitors.