It was a moment of grief, a moment of pains on Friday when the body of the Nigerian four-time para – powerlifter world medalist, Mrs Ndidi Nwosu, was laid to rest at her Umuagbada, Umuoba, Eziachi Orlu home in Imo State.
Speaking at the funeral of the 42-year-old Nigerian heroine and sports ambassador, the wife of the president and grand matron, Nigeria Para Powerlifting Federation, Hajia Aisha Buhari, who was represented by the Deputy Governor of Enugu State and Matron of the Nigeria Para Powerlifting Federation, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, expressed shock over the death of the Nwosu.
She said: “The two children will be properly taken care of. There is nothing I can say here that has not been said.
“Ndidi was a great Nigerian. She represented Nigeria in international Para Powerlifting championships and came home with medals. God will grant her soul eternal rest”.
The Deputy Governor said she was in grief over the death, announcing that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has accepted to contribute to the Ndidi Nwosu Foundation.
She gave the assurance that the two children Ndidi left behind would be trained properly.
“I am only asking God to console her mother and take care of her children and family. I don’t know what to say again. I am very very sad. I am heart broken”, she said.
She commended Aisha Buhari for her support and the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinna.
She also thanked the former President of the Nigeria Para Powerlifting Federation, Miss Queen Idris, for her enormous support to Ndidi and her family , “despite the fact that she is in Canada.
Uzodinma, who was represented by the Director of Sports , Imo State Sports Commission, Mrs Chizobam Anetola, described the death as “unfortunate ”
“There is time for everything. Today is Ndidis, she is no more. To the sports family, it is unfortunate, but who are we to question God? Ndidi studied Accounting, but sports brought her to limelight. The government of Imo State was very much aware because a letter was written. Ndidi ‘s name will never be forgotten.
“As far as Senator Uzodinma is in office, Ndidi ‘s name will not be forgotten. Nobody knows that Ndidi was not a staff of the Nigeria Sports Commission “, she said.
The governor thanked the Audit office for releasing Ndidi. ” If not that she was released, nobody would have known Ndidi. Ndidi’s achievements will never be forgotten, “he said.
Former President of the Nigeria Para Powerlifting federation, Miss Queen Idris , represented by Mr Frank Ossai, described the late sports icon as “a virtuous woman”.
The news of her death was shocking to the sports. world. We love you all, we love the family and we pray that our sister rest in peace”.
In their tribute, the Nigeria Para Powerlifting Federation, represented by Nneji Victoria, in tears, said: ” Our heart is broken. We have lost a sister, a mother, a goal getter, We shall never forget her sense of humour. She was a woman with passion. Ndidi dedicated her life to sports. She came for trials in Ogun and that’s where she came to limelight.
“Ndidi won medals in Nigeria, Africa and the world. She is extraordinary, , a friend, a sister, a woman of faith, respectful. Ndidi was real, a lovely mother to her children, her husband and she laid a good foundation for her children. Never would she be forgotten by those who were opportune to know her”, she said.
President, Audit staff Welfare Association of Local Governments, Imo State, Mary Jane Ezekwe, said that Ndidi was employed on September 11, 2002 as a Clerical Assistant and in 2014 was promoted to an executive audit staff, the position she held till death.
She took permission and went for sports competition in powerliftinng and proved to the world that there is ability in disability”.
Representative of her family (Umuejikukwu , Uba, Umuaka) Chief Marcel Mmadu, described Ndidi as a “golden sister “.
He said that, “This little girl rose from grass to grace. However, we cannot question God. She came and from the little time she spent on earth, she accomplished a lot. ”
He prayed God to grant her soul eternal rest.
Her husband, Mr I.K. Nwosu, described his late wife as all he had.
“My wife is all for me. She is too dear to me. I don’t know how to describe her. I miss her a lot. She was good to me. She is everything to me A very nice person. I don’t know how I will forget her. I pray that her soul rest in peace,” he said.
Her mother-in-law, Mrs Philomena Nwosu, who wept uncontrollably, described Ndidi as ” a good woman, hardworking, more than men. Ndidi was a nice person. Well trained . Her death touched me. I pray for her everyday, oh Ndidi. ”
In a sermon, the officiating minister, Rev Dr Austin Uchegbu, described Ndidi as “a heroine”.
“We are here to celebrate a heroine. To some, they saw her as physically challenged but she worked more than the physically healthy. She has been able to build a house as a physically challenged and for me, it’s not how old you are or physically built”.
Drawing the reading from Revelation 14:11-16, Reverend Ukaegbu said that Everyman will die and what matters is where one will go after death.
He urged people to turn away from evil and do good, and accept Jesus as their saviour. ” Blessed are those that died in the Lord for their blessings will be from the Lord. ”
He said that Jesus is no longer coming soon, Jesus is coming now” The cleric, therefore, urged people to do good, turn away from evil.
Ndidi won gold medals in national festivals, won a bronze medal in international powerlifting competition in 2015, won gold medal in All African Games in Congo, gold medal in 2006 in Olympic Rio Brazil. In 2017, she won silver medal in PC world championship, in Hungary, bronze medal in the same GE in Mexico. In 2018, she won a gold medal in Commonwealth Games in Australia which made her the second Para-Powerlifting female that won three gold medals for Nigeria
Highlight of the event was a demonstration of powerlifting by selected athletes, in which Ndidi was called to come out and lift the 40kg bar. They waited without Ndidi coming out and it was ruled her career on earth is finished.
Ndidi who died on May 18, 2020 was married to Nwosu and had two children, Ebube and Kosi.
