The remains of the late Corporate Communication Manager, Air Peace was committed to mother earth in his home town, Eku Delta State over the weekend.
The burial witnessed a huge turn out of sympathisers from the Delta and Lagos States particularly among management and staff of the West and Central African largest airline.
The Chairman of the airline, Air Peace Limited, Mr. Allen Onyeama who led about 50 members of management and staff of the airline to the funeral promised that the company will ensure that the family late Mr. Chris Iwara left behind would be adequately catered for.
It would be recollected that Chris Iwara died on June 5, 2019 in a ghastly motor accident at Mangoro area of Dopemu along the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, Lagos State.
While speaking on Saturday at the funeral ceremony held at the home town of the late spokesman, Air Peace Chairman who described the death of Chris as one of the saddest event in his life, lamented that staff of the airline are finding it hard to come to term with the demise of the ex spokesman whom he described as a consummate lawyer, journalist and cooperate communication expert.
He said during his life time with the airline, late Iwara worked tirelessly to positively project the image of the airline.
Recounting how he received the sad news from his wife on the fateful day. Onyema said he rushed back to Lagos from his home town in Anambra State to coordinate the medical service been given to his spokesman. He affirmed that the company was planning to immediately to fly the injured spokesman abroad for further treatment before he gave up the ghost.
In an emotion laden speech, Barrister Onyema regretted losing a dependable ally and disciplined soldier who always stand for justice, fairness and equity among staff irrespectively of tribe, religion and position.
Onyema who is also the Chairman of Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria, said, “l am yet to see a young man with the quality of my wonderful late friend, Chris. He is one whom l delegates multiple tasks to and goes to sleep knowing that those assignments are done deals. He exudes passion for whatever you commit into his hands to carry out. He was super intelligent, a hard worker, multi-skilled, extremely dedicated”.
He added, “l close from work by 2.am and each time l look through my cameras, l see Chris still moving from one office to the other at such time just to make sure that everything is going according to plan even those outside the purview of his office. If there is one thing l admired most about him, it is his fearlessness, he is a soldier who takes the bullets for the company most times, he looks at me and tells me, Mr. Chairman, with all due respect Sir, l disagree with you on this and this is the way l think we have to do this things and always, his suggestions and advice are right”
According to CEO of Air Peace, “on that fateful day, l was already preparing to fly Chris oversea for the best medical services he could get anywhere, but God knows best, we cannot question him. I will ensure his family gets the best of support in life and l will lend supports to anything that Chris represents”.
He added that Nigeria has lost an upwardly mobile, fearless and courageous future leader whose interest in championing justice for the oppressed and less privilege and victimized members of the society is legendary.
In his tribute, Editor of Guardian Newspaper Limited, Mr. Abraham Ogbodo said few youths with the sterling quality of the late Chris Iwara exist in Nigeria just as he said he lack words to describe his present feelings.
Ogbodo who spoke on behalf of Atamu Social Club of Nigeria, a foremost social cultural group of the Urhobo nation said “the late Chris was a son to me; a bright and shining star has been shot down, the Urhobo nation has just lost one of its brightest rising stars. Eku town has lost its best advocate and defender while the Atamu has been denied a versatile and irreplaceable son and leader”.
He added that “Chris was a Nigerian who fight for and defend the oppressed and a voice for the downtrodden. The Legal profession will miss one of its finest breeds while the media profession; the Baptist church will also miss its best hand, devout and staunch disciple of Christ. But Heaven just gained an Angel and what wisdom and fortitude have mere mortals like us to question the deeds of the Almighty God?
The editor affirmed that “the late Chris Iwara is a rare breed, an irreplaceable and indescribable genius, a man of many parts. A young man full of life and energy: no one dare make imputations or conjectures to belittle him or infringes his rights or those around him yet he is the most gentle and respectful young man you will ever come across”
The occasion witnessed outpouring of glowing tributes from colleagues at Air Peace, families and members of the Eku community, colleagues in the legal and media professions as well as church members, childhood friends and beneficiaries of scholarship awards the late Chris championed for indigent Urhobo students in various tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The officiating minister Reverend D Unuse described death as a debt every one owe his or maker and prayed for grace for the Iwara family to bear the lost of their son.
Later, Air Peace Chairman, the airline’s Chief Operating Officer, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olajide, Chief of Finance and Administration, Mrs. Ejiroghene Eghagha and Head, Transcorp Hilton Group Nigeria, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo in company of the airline staff to pay a condolence visit to the parents of the late Air Peace image maker, Chief Solomon and Mrs. Rose Iwara in their family compound along the old Sapele Road.
