Ezeife: Why we must prepare for death – clergy

Christian leaders have admonished believers to prepare for the inevitability of death by living a worthy life on earth.

The Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, and the Divisional Commander of the Salvation Army Corp, Abasido Udongwo, gave the admonition during the Service of Songs in memory of former governor of Anambra State, Okwadike, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife on Friday at the National Christian Centre in Abuja.

In his brief message, Onaiyekan said death is the lot of humans and would come at any stage of life through different causes or none at all.

“By whatever cause or whatever age, death usually provokes sorrow by the loss of a beloved one,” he said.

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While explaining that what is most important is what follows after death, he said, “The Christian faith gives us a very clear answer; we are still in the mood of the Easter celebration where Jesus, risen gloriously from death, our lives on earth is transformed by the glorious body, the risen body.”

He said death may mean different things to different people; to some it may mean a liberation from this painful world.

He described Ezeife as a great statesman and a brother-in-Christ who has run the race and now await the crown as contained in 2 Timothy 4v7-8.

In his sermon, Udongwo said there was need for people to prepare for death by arranging their homes and dedicating their lives to God because death, which is inevitable, would come one day.

Quoting from the scriptures in Isaiah 38 vs 1-21 and Luke 12vs20, he said everybody’s lives would be required from them one day.

“You don’t know when you are going to die, that is why you must prepare for death; you must trust in God and live righteously,” he said.

“Life is like a vapour, it comes and just disappears, and that is why we must prepare. We prepare by putting our house in order; let’s have principles and standards in our house. You must prepare a will..”

Speaking on the funeral arrangement, the chairman of the National Burial Committee and former governor of Enugu State, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, described Ezeife as a dogged fighter against injustice and the inequities in the system, and especially championed the cause of the less privileged and downtrodden Nigerians.

“Okwadike believed that God was so kind to Nigeria that he have us enormous human and material resources, not only for leadership in Africa but to the blackman all over the world,” he said.

Ezeife died in Abuja on December 14, 2023, at the age of 86. He is set to be buried next week in the ancient town of Igbo-Ukwu, Anambra State.