As a person well persuaded in the critical importance of education as a veritable developmental tool, he ensured this found good expression in his thinking and actions, starting from his immediate family. He was not just a graduat e of Agric Engineering , he also studied the course to the Doctorate level. It is to his credit that all in his household, without exception are thoroughly well educated to the point of self sustenance.His love for education also found a more general expre ssion in the leadership roles he played in educational developments in our Ufuma community.

By dint of hard work, Omekannia reached the pinnacle of his chosen profession and the highest economic and social stratum of the society. Yet,this did not drive a wedge between him and the people around him be they his immediate ObuAchu family, his Umuenebu village or Ufuma as a Community. He was down to earth, very humble, most welcoming and with good listening ears.

Omekannia will be very much remembered as a trailblazer in our community administration and development. He took seriously and performed creditably, his duty as the head of Onyekwena family until his exit.No less was his performance as the Enebu of Umuenebu,the community Chief of his Umuenebu village. Even before these assignments he was a very important and active member of Ufuma Traditional Cabinet culminating in the conferment of the Chieftaincy title of Omekannia on him, more than two decades ago by Ufuma community acting through the Diji II of Ufuma, HRH Emmanuel E Okoli.

It was Omekannia who led his compatriots in Umunebonato to initiate and establish UmunebonatoUfuma Welfare Association in the mid 1980s. Inspired by this, his generation in Ufuma rallied round him to form Ufuma Development Un ion with him emerging as the first President Chairman of Umunebonato--General. It was in his time as Ufuma Welfare Association that electricity was stepped down and reticulated in Umunebonato. Thereafter, as President he led and coordinated the General, efforts by Ufuma Development Union that culminated in the establishment of Ufuma Campus of Federal Polytechnic Oko in Ufuma.

As mentioned earlier, I have simply attempted to highlight some aspects of the communal life of Omekannia in this brief ceremony. For sure other groups and individuals will be presenting him from different perspectives as his obsequious unfold. I affirm that none of such accounts, varied as they may be, is out of place. Indeed, Omekannia is an Elephant. There fore, each one is entitled to describe him in his own words and from his own perspective. As his body is being interred today, on behalf of the EXCO and entire members of Ufuma Development Union, I convery our heartfelt condolences to the wife and children of Omekannia Ernest Onyekwena even as we pray that his soul finds perfect peace in the Lord. Dike eji eje Okàà ovuru ọ g ụ ụ z ọ Nwoke teghete Omekannia Ufuma salutes you! Jee nke ọ ma!

Commodore Clement Amobi Ofor President General Ufuma Development Union.