‘We lost a great hero’ — Akunyili’s son commemorates father’s third death anniversary

Obumneme Akunyili, one of the children of the late Chike and Dora Akunyili, says his father’s death “forced” him to grow up.

In a statement to commemorate his father’s third death anniversary, Obumnene, director of project monitoring in Anambra state, described the late medical doctor as a person worthy of emulation.

Chike was shot dead in Umuoji, Idemili north LGA of Anambra state in 2021. He was killed alongside his police escort and driver.

Recalling the incident, Obumnene said it was devastating to learn of his father’s passing on Facebook with the photos of his corpse splashed on social media.

“My father was my anchor, he was a library of knowledge, and his absence forced me to grow up more quickly. I had to step up and take on the responsibility of protecting our family’s interests,” Obumneme said.

“My father lived a life of service. He was not as well-known on the national stage as my mother, but his legacy is one that Nigerians should aspire to. He touched countless lives with his kindness and compassion.”

Obumneme also described his father as a disciplinarian who could also make people laugh.

“He had a command in language and words both Igbo and English. He was a speaker who could captivate the crowd and the way he throws out idioms in Igbo language… there is this wealth of local knowledge that he got from his own father who got it from his father great-grandfather. Yes, I got some of that but most of it is gone forever. We lost a great hero,” he said.

In honor of his father’s legacy, Obumneme said he and his siblings have been organising medical outreach programmes for the underprivileged.

“But, the financial situation in the country is difficult at the moment. The hospital is trying to restructure and expand the outreach. So, doing that this year is not feasible, but we are pushing to make it a yearly outreach to humanity because that is what our late father and mother stood for,” he said.

In November 2023, the Akunyili children said their family was yet to get justice for the killing of their father.