TRIBUTE OF HIS EXCELLENCY, THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF IMO STATE, PRINCE EZE MADUMERE, MFR, KSC, DURING THE BURIAL CEREMONY OF LATE PETER ONYEHIDELAM ONWUZURUIKE A.K.A. “DEDE ONE DAY” ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2016

It is with heavy heart that I have come here today to pay my last respect to a brother and friend, Peter Onyehidelam Onwuzuruike. “Dede One Day” as he is popularly known was a man of many parts whose talent duplicated him into multiple personalities.

Dede one day, in your many God-given talents, you were all in one, an entertainer. You were a Comedian of note who put smiles and laughter on the faces of uncountable audience. You were a great actor who interpreted his scripts even beyond the imagination of the producers and Directors. You were one “Compere” who held his audience spell bound for hours without boredom.

Today, here lies this great artiste, actor and comedian whose followers are still in shock, while greater number still refer to his death as a tale told by an idiot signifying nothing.

Here lies in quiet-tude, a man whose presence alone aroused so much excitement to a sea of people.
Today, we could look at him with pain, his voice, his jokes and strong personality; we can behold no more in live concert.

Dede one day, the same people you cause to laugh and be merry, are in great pain and sorrow. Life is truly a stage as they say. A man who brought happiness to all and brought about changes in them but life itself is a poor player. Like Shakespeare put it in Macbeth, “Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and is heard no more”.

The last time I saw “Dede One Day” was in Lagos State, on December 5 to be precise, when our people under the umbrella of Mbieri Unions Federated, Lagos Branch organized Mbieri Nwa-Otuoke Day. The success of that gathering to charting a new course for our people was moderated and made a success story by no other but the soul of this lifeless body of Dede One Day.

I remember agreeing for us to meet in Owerri after that memorable event, little did I know that I will not get to see him again.
Yes, he died in his prime; at a time his family, friends and Imo state would have needed him most, but his legacies far out stretched his age. ‘’Dede One Day” lives on. His deeds and works will for a long time remind our world that he came, he saw and conquered.

Again, Like Bible tells us, let us not cry like those who do not have hope. The same Bible said, “To live is in Christ, to die is “gain” for He has promised us eternal life. The lesson is what shall we be remembered for after we would have gone?

On behalf of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Imo State, I hereby formally commiserate with the entire family members of Peter Onyehidelam Onwuzuruike. It is my prayer that God will grant you the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss as I also pray for the repose of his soul.

Fare thee well my brother!