By Daniel Edu
Chinyere Awuda, the Anambra lady whose lifeless body was discovered near an abandoned swimming pool on the premises of a well-known hotel in Awka, has been laid to rest in Awuda, Nnobi community, located in the Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State. The 30-year-old graduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University met her tragic demise on July 15, allegedly due to a severe beating she received during a birthday celebration at the hotel. Her funeral took place on Saturday, September 9, drawing former schoolmates, friends, and grieving family members who fondly remembered her as a calm and beloved individual.
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Awuda, the heartbroken parents of the deceased, were unable to contain their tears as they expressed their profound sorrow over the loss of their daughter. They expressed their anguish over what they considered an “undeserved death” for their beloved child.
In their own words, they shared, “She was our fifth child. The news of her sudden death came to us as a rude shock. We never expected that her promising life with a bright future would be cut short in such a manner. We heard that she was beaten to death by a group of boys, and her lifeless body was discovered near an abandoned swimming pool in the hotel where she had gone with her friends to celebrate someone’s birthday. Although the police claimed that an autopsy revealed she drowned, we firmly believe she was killed, as they have refused to release the CCTV footage of the incident. What can we do? We have entrusted justice to God. We will dearly miss our affectionate and caring daughter.”
Adding to the family’s distress, Chinyere’s elder brother, Ekene, expressed regret over his sister’s untimely death and voiced his frustration that neither the police nor the hotel management had shown any compassion to the grieving family during this difficult time.
“It is truly unfortunate that my sister met her end in such a tragic manner after toiling to earn her university degree. The police maintain that she drowned in the water, but we firmly believe she was murdered. It is disheartening that her killers remain at large, and both the police and the hotel management have demonstrated no empathy toward our family, even though they are fully aware of her burial today. Our sorrow stems from the fact that our sister’s death was unjust, and it appears to be shrouded in secrecy by both the police and the hotel management. We have chosen to leave retribution in the hands of the divine,” he lamented.
The funeral of Chinyere Awuda serves as a somber reminder of the unresolved questions and heartache surrounding her tragic passing, as her family continues to seek justice and closure.
