Hot Source•Deceased’s uncle commends TV management for supporting the family
David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
The family of ARISE NEWS Channelanchor, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, fondly called Sommie, the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi and many other dignitaries yesterday mourned as she was interred in her father’s compound.
Sommie was interred at around 1:30 pm at Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State, which incidentally is Obi’s hometown.
Delivering a homily at the burial mass at St Theresa Catholic Church, Agulu, a priest from the parish, Reverend Father Peter Ezewuzie, consoled the family, urging them to take solace in the fact that Sommie lived a quality life.
He said: “The Lord who created us knows the beginning from the end. He is all-knowing, and some of you may be unhappy that a life has been cut short, but you won’t know if that is how God planned it.
“He (God) is an all-knowing father; so, I urge you to grieve less. God, who gave Christelle Somtoo Maduagwu to your family, loves her more than you do. The only thing you owe her is to continue to remember her in your prayers. She is in a better place today and will always remember us, too.
“The maturity of life is the quality of life lived and not how long, and we can be sure that our sister lived a quality life. Let us strive to live our lives well. We are not here by chance; there is someone who brought us here, and he expects that you will live a good life because no one knows when it will be their time.”
Obi, who also addressed those in attendance after Mass, said: “We cannot question God. When I heard of her death, I didn’t know that she was Agulu even before I tweeted about it.
“Our coming here will help to console you, but we know that this loss is a huge one. It is the wish of God, and none of us can question God. Please do remember her and her immediate family in your prayers.
“Before I left Birmingham yesterday, I told some people who were with me that I was rushing back to Nigeria for the burial of one of my daughters. I told them to remember to pray for her all the time as she will be buried today,” Obi added.
The late Sommie’s uncle, Mr. Obi Maduagwu, who is the elder brother of her dad, praised ARISE NEWS Channel for standing by the family from the moment the news of her death broke.
He said: “We thank the management of ARISE NEWS. They have been with us right from the beginning. We thank all who journeyed all the way to be with us.”
