Tears flow as Catholic priest is laid to rest

The remains of Rev. Fr. Tobias Okonkwo, a Catholic priest from the Diocese of Nnewi, Anambra State, who was brutally murdered on December 26, have been laid to rest amid a somber atmosphere filled with sorrow.

A requiem mass held on Thursday at the Our Lady of Assumption Cathedral, Nnewi, drew a large crowd of mourners before his final interment at the cathedral grounds.

Okonkwo, who was also a trained pharmacist, met his tragic end shortly after leaving the premises of the School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Medical Laboratory Sciences at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala, where he served as the manager.

Delivering a heartfelt homily during the service, the Vicar-General of the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi, Monsignor Anichebe Ezeobata, described Okonkwo as a dedicated servant of God whose life and ministry had a profound impact.

“His journey was brief, but his impact was immense. Ordained in July 2015, he pursued his calling with passion, balancing pastoral duties with a professional career in pharmacy,” Ezeobata said.

The cleric noted that Okonkwo had only recently completed his internship as a pharmacist in October 2024 and had assumed the managerial role at the hospital’s School of Nursing and allied institutions just two months before his untimely death.

The funeral service was graced by several dignitaries, including Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, and Professor Stella Chinyere Okunna, former Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Anambra State, alongside many clergy members and sympathizers.