Scholars eulogize deceased Veritas council member

Friday, February 11, 2011. Eminent Nigerians and great scholars poured out torrents of tributes for the late member of Veritas University Governing Council and former Vice-Chancellor of Abia State University, Professor Gabriel Maduka Umezurike, OFR, KSJ in a requiem Mass at the Auditorium of Abia State University, Uturu celebrated by Most Rev. Dr. John Onaiyekan, the Archbishop of Abuja as Chief Celebrant and assisted by Bishop of Okigwe, Most Rev.  S. A. Amato and the Bishop of Aba, Most Rev. Vincent V. Ezeonyia.

In his homily, the Chief Celebrant of the Mass  and Chairman of Veritas University Governing Council,  Most Rev. Dr. John Onaiyekan enjoined the faithful and the bereaved family to serve the Lord while they are still alive . He charged the family of the deceased not to be troubled noting that Professor Umezurike had done his work and gone to a better place.

 
The Vice-Chancellor of Veritas University, Prof. David Ker who was represented by Dr. John P. Uko, Dean of MSAT described Professor Umezurike as a teacher of teachers, erudite scholar and a great Nigerian.

In his tribute the Vice-Chancellor of Abia State University, Professor Chibuzor Ogbuagu lamented that Abia State was a citadel in grief revealing that this was their first experience of losing an erstwhile Vice-Chancellor. He described the late Vice Chancellor as an eminent scholar, a highly admired administrator with urbane and humane disposition and one who, without doubt, stood tall among his peers.

“We have lost a ‘chlorophora excelsa’ , an extraordinarily sized iroko tree of a tropical Western African type”, the Vice Chancellor lamented.

Chairman of Abia State University Governing Council, Professor Jessy Ogbonnaya,OON, who represented the Visitor of the University, noted that Professor Umezurike was a very humble and resourceful person who worked with him at the University of Ibadan and served in the Nigerian Constitutional Conference.

Other Nigerians of outstanding worth, who attended the Mass were all the former Vice-Chancellors of Abia State University, former Minister of Education, Professor Fabian Osuji and former Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Maurice Iwu.

Veritas University was represented by members of the Governing Council, Professor Mike Kwanashie, Rev. Fr. Patrick Arowele,  and the Registrar, Chief Mojisola Ladipo,mni.