By Okey Maduforo Awka.
It was a day of tears and grief in Anambra state as a thirty nine year old Associate Professor of Building Okechukwu Ezeokoli was laid to rest at his country home Ekwulobia in Aguata local government area of Anambra state.
Also the entire Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka staff and students sheared in the sorrow over the untimely death of Ezeokoli who is popularly refered to as a genues.
Ezeokoli died in a gasly motor accident along the Ore- Lagos express way just got married five years leaving behind his widow and little children.
To this end the NIgerian Institute Of Building IOB has concluded arrangements to immortalize his name along with the management of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka.
The representative of the National President Nigeria Institute Of Building , Buldr Dr Mrs Eucaria Enebe who is the 3rd National Vice President of Nigeria Institute Of Building said ;
We were sent by our our President to attend the funeral and the Management and of NIOB shall sustain his legacy and since I knew him , he has be a catalyst to this a organization and he has been a role model to younger members and a team player and infact we lost one of our finest.
Similarly Bldr Nwekete Chinasa Jonathan the South East coordinator of Council of Registered Building Of Nigeria stated that;
“Okechukwu is a pragmatic fellow very respectful jovial and hardly you see him being angry and he is focused”
“Any assignment given to Okechukwu he handles it with ease even if it tasking and he has given himself to service and dedication”
He was my colleague in Nnamdi Azikiwe University and though he was our junior with a year because of his inquisitiveness in academics he met us and we graduated the same time and it might interest you that he is my PhD supervisor and he lectured me”
“We have our lead team member and we cannot take decision until the Council looks into it before we immortalize him a big lost to the NIgerian Institute of Building”
Also speaking Dr Bldr Peter Uchenna Okoye the Head Of Department of Building Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka noted that;
“He was my students and he became my colleagues and my best man during my wedding he handed over to me as head and a confidant”
“The death of Dr Ezeokoli is devastating and made very obvious too and the impact is symbolic and in ten years I wonder it we will recover from it because he is a key person in the department and e are trying to adjust to see if we can manage”
Bldr Nweke Kingsley Obiora the Anambra state chapter Chairman of the NIgerian Institute of Building noted that;
“It is a painful one and he is an interprising young man who got to the pick of his career at below forty years”
“At thirty nine he is already an Associate Professor and just like when he recently graduated at first class and was retained and such a person that is eger to learn and open minded”
“He is very accommodating and Okechukwu Ezeokoli is unique and we shall decide on what to do to immortalize him” he said.
