‎A GLORIOUS TRIBUTE TO ICHIE MICHAEL EKESI (OZO CHIBULUZO) ‎‎ By Ichie Ifeanyi Ndulue

 

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‎With a heart full of sorrow yet deeply grateful to the Almighty for the gift of a long, impactful life, I offer this tribute to a man whose legacy stands tall like the ancient iroko, Ichie Michael Ekesi (Ozo Chibuluzo).

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‎The news of his passage to eternity came as a thunderclap. We had earnestly looked forward to celebrating his 100th birthday in January 2026, a rare milestone that few achieve. But God, in His sovereign wisdom, decided that Ichie had completed his course. The heavens have surely gained a saint.

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‎Ichie Michael Ekesi was not merely an elder by age, but a towering figure of wisdom, humility, and unwavering devotion to both faith and culture. Born and bred in the heart of Enugwu-Agidi, he rose to become one of the most respected figures in the Church, the community, and the traditional institution.

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‎As a young boy growing up in Enugwu-Agidi, I admired him from a distance, his quiet strength, his gentle speech, and his active presence in St. John’s Catholic Church, where he served faithfully for over four decades. His contributions were far-reaching: from the Parish Pastoral Council, Catholic Men Organization (CMO), Catholic Laity Council, to being a Patron of the Choir, Block Rosary Crusade, and Catholic Women Organization (CWO), Ichie Ekesi gave himself completely to the service of God and His people.

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‎Notably, he was among the first set of parishioners in Enugwu-Agidi to offer free accommodation to seminarians, both junior and senior, who were sent to our parish for apostolic work. He welcomed them with fatherly warmth and dignity, treating them as guests of Christ. His home became a sanctuary for spiritual formation, a seedbed where many vocations were nurtured. In doing this, Ichie did not just support the Church; he helped to build the future of the priesthood.

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‎His parlour, which he generously opened for zonal Masses in 1997 during the apostolate of Rev. Frs. Mac-Ben Okeke and Christopher Ezeonyemalu, became a sacred space for community worship, making him the second parishioner to offer such an ecclesiastical gift, following Prince A.I. Okoli (Onwa Vatican), and preceding other generous families like the Late Goddy Okeke-anakputa and the Abunwune family of Ifite.

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‎In the traditional institution, Ozo Chibuluzo was no less remarkable. He served as an Ichie in the royal cabinet of HRH Igwe D.O. Ikeanyi (Okpalariam II of Enugwu-Agidi), representing Iruogbuebune with wisdom and unwavering loyalty. His ability to harmonize Christian values with Igbo cultural identity made him a bridge between faith and tradition. Through slogans like “Odinovu-nya-dinovu” and “Osi-Osi”, he captured complex life lessons in simple, memorable language.

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‎His closest friends, Pa Job Okwubunne, Igwe Patrick Okeke-anakputa, Catechist Udegbune, Nze PC Anigbogu, Asimonye, Ezenwamadu, and others, regarded him as a man of integrity and deep insight. In the Ulonabo Age Grade and Enugwu-Agidi Elders Council, he was a voice of reason and a guardian of unity. His love for truth, justice, and communal peace remains unmatched.

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‎To his Children, the noble Ekesi family, the Umuemeka clan and the broader Iruogbuebune kindred, he was a spiritual and moral compass. A father, a guide, a provider, and a shield. His children, biological and spiritual alike, are the living testaments of his values. Personally, I owe much of my bond with Cletus (Akwasa) and Chinedu Ekesi, his sons, to the love and respect I held for their father. Today, all of us live in Abuja, and our relationship has grown stronger, shaped by the honour of Ichie’s legacy.

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‎I remember fondly my time with Agatha and Tony during our early years in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCRN), and later with Julia Amaka, his last daughter, before my eventual relocation to Abuja. These relationships were not only friendships; they were spiritual bonds birthed from the life of a man who taught us how to love, serve, and stand for what is right.

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‎Ichie Michael Ekesi was a preserver of heritage, a champion of peace, a servant of God, and a pillar of community. He gave everything, his wisdom, his home, his finances, and his heart, for the advancement of the Church, the protection of culture, and the unity of his people.

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‎As we commit his noble soul to God, we do not grieve as those without hope. We rejoice in the promise of the resurrection, that day when the trumpet shall sound and the saints shall rise in glory. Ichie has merely gone ahead of us, to await that great reunion in the eternal presence of the Almighty.

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‎Farewell, Ozo Chibuluzo.

‎You lived with honour. You served with humility.

‎You walked with God, and now you rest in His glory.

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‎May your soul find perfect peace in the bosom of our Lord.

‎May choirs of angels sing you to your rest.

‎And may your legacy continue to light the path for generations to come.

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‎Rest well, Ichie Michael Ekesi.

‎You remain forever in our hearts.

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‎ *Ichie Ifeanyi Ndulue* 

‎(Chief Onyima Enugwu-Agidi)