18/06/2025
On behalf of GCUOBA , with great emotion and deepest gratitude to the will of our Almighty God, we join the Great Umuahian community all over the world in mourning the sad loss of our Umuahian Stalwart and Doyen, Engr Sam Nze Onyewuenyi ‘42 who passed away on June 3, 2025 at the age of 98. Our heartfelt condolences. May his soul rest in perfect peace. We pray that God grants Umuahians, his family, relatives, friends and other loved ones the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. Engr Onyewuenyi as already highlighted by many lived the Umuahian exemplary life of credibility, integrity, empathy, honesty, and inspiration and stood tall living with concrete dedication of our motto, May we shine as one. We appreciate God for making it possible for him to be physically present during our GCUOBA December 2024 AGM and gave us words of wisdom. (Courtesy of Dr Ibe). He was the longest serving GCUOBA NEC member for more than 20 years having chaired Lagos branch and generated resources that helped our Alma mater when no other branch was stable. We will miss him so much. Adieu Great Umuahian until we meet to part no more.
Dr Chinedum Ahaiwe ‘67 Niger
REMEMBERING SAM ONYEWUENYI. 1942 CLASS.
This can only be an abridged tribute. A full one will be sent later.
On my return to Nigeria in 1974 from USA, my first attendance at an old boys meeting was in Surulere sports club hosted by Patrick Ozieh '45. The Lagos branch Chairman was Engr Onyewuenyi'42 who apparently had been at that position long before the Nigeria/ Biafra war. On that same day, my first ever attendance at any old
boys meeting in my life, I was made Secretary of Lagos as Ben Osuno'49 saw a new "onyor" in town. I was to remain Nze Onyewuenyi's secretary for the next 10 years.
In GCU, he was Captain of Football, a team that was thrashed by CKC Onitsha in 1948. His fag was Eddie Chukukere who reports that Onyewuenyi was a very kind prefect. Eddie named prefects he referred to as "wicked*
Nze Onyewuenyi made so many strides for GCU . Let me recall some.
1.At the end of the war, he rallied Umuahians around giving them hope and succour! He restarted the Lagos branch which grew to be the most and sometimes only viable branch of GCUOBA for a long time until the recent rise of Abuja branch.
2. He got Lagos branch registered with CAC..many years before the National body woke up.
3. Lagos was the epi center of key events.. honouring Umuahians like Erekosima,Nwodo,Lawrence Amu etc.
4. Lagos branch kept giving and giving to the school.. Toyota Coaster, Water tanks etc. It's not by accident that the team that convinced ABSG to hand over the school were from Lagos branch even after Onyewuenyi had handed over to Cally Nweke'59.....17 years his junior.
5. The end of year parties for all Umuahians, hosted by him at 54 Glover Road Ikoyi...called GOAT PARTY..was eat and quench!
Luckily for me I continued to see my oga Onyewuenyi in the USA as he had retired to convalesce in same Maryland. His conversations started and ended with Umuahia. He wanted so much to see Umuahia before quitting the scene and I was happy to help arrange this . He was Special Guest of Honour at the 2024 Home coming and addressed the young boys.
We will miss him. He at 98 was the oldest Umuahian alive as of last week.
That position of oldest Umuahian alive now goes to
Prof. K. A. Harrison '46, former V.C of UNIPORT..Nigeria's famous OBGYN and winner of National Merit Award.
The burial of Onyewuenyi should be a national assignment for GCUOBA. Much like we did for Gabriel okara etc.
Dr Ibe 1955
