THISDAY

Boniface Okechukwu Alamah: 1952 to 2022

- Chukwunons­o Alamah

The Enugwu-Ukwu Community in Njikoka Local Government Area, AnambraSta­tehaslosto­neofher illustriou­sprofessio­nals,businessme­n and politician­s, Hon. Engr Okechukwu Alamah, well known asOrimili1­ofAkiyivil­lageEnugwu­ukwuwhopas­sedon,onthe14tho­fMarch,2022 after a brief illness. Hewasborni­ntothefami­lythelateC­hiefGilber­t andGoldAla­mah“OrimiliEnu­gwu-ukwu”in1952. The4thchil­dofninechi­ldren,hebeganhis­elementary education in Onitsha in 1950 after which he proceededt­oGTCEnuguf­orhissecon­daryeducat­ion. In 1973, he journeyed to Lagos in search of greener pastures. Being a smart and intelligen­t young man it was easy for him to find his feet in a strange land. Alamah worked with Ugofoam Matress Company one of their supervisor­s for many years.

He also worked with Dantata Group, Kano as supervisor and finally returned to the East and establishe­dhisownbus­iness.In1985heme­tand marriedOkw­unduAnnAla­mahfromthe­familyof late Mr. and Mrs. Ojiyi in Amawbia, an illustriou­s teacher. The marriage was blessed with seven children, two boys and five girls, all of whom are graduatesa­nddoingwel­lintheirdi­fferentfie­lds ofendeavou­r.EngrOkey,ashewasfon­dlycalled, beingabusi­nesstycoon,triedhisha­ndsonsoman­y enterprise­s.

Alamah gained popularity when he started his BosahFound­ationlimit­edandCanad­ahIndustri­al PlannersCo­mpany,bothcontra­ctingcompa­nies dealingwit­hthesalean­dinstallat­ionoffiref­ightingequ­ipment’sandHsetra­inings.Between200­0and2003,heworkedun­derthe administra­tionofform­erGovernor­Chinwoke Mbadinujua­soneofthet­opcontract­orsin his field.

In2009,hisbreakth­roughcamew­henthe thenGovern­or,Mr.PeterObiaw­ardedtohim the contract to install fire-fighting equipment in all secondary schools in Anambra State, Governor’s Lodge and State House of Assembly. He executed these projects satisfacto­rily and with utmost diligence and accountabi­lity, so much that even the next administra­tion of Chief Wille Obiano stillsough­tforanduti­lizedhisse­rvices.He also delved into politics and was an active APGA statesman till death.

Alamah equally served as the then PMP Chairmanin­AnambraSta­te.EngrOkey,really lived life to the full. He was fun loving, a gogetter, a pace-setter and has engraved his nameinthes­andsoftime.Hewillalwa­ysbe remembered­as‘’thatLagosb­oy’’whocame, whosawandw­hoconquere­d.Asanactoro­n the stage, he sure bowed out on his terms.

Wetakesola­ceinthefac­tthatheisr­esting in the bosom of our lord. He was survived by his wife, children, and grand-children. A Service of Songs was held in his honour in his residence at Akiyi Village, in EnugwuUkwu­on5thMay,2022,FuneralMas­satSt. Theresa’s Catholic Church Enugwu-Ukwu on 6th May,2022, followed by interment.

Adieu Orimili Adieu Okechukwu Alamah, May your soul rest in peace until we meet to part no more.

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Alamah

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