A tribute to Barrister Mellitus Chukwuemeka Eze (1968–2025)*
In this casket lies the body of a seeker of justice and a defender of truth. Here lies the remains of a generous man, a jovial man, a brilliant lawyer. Here lies a lover of mankind and one of the greatest sons of Lejja: a comforter of the downtrodden, a provider for small business owners, a refuge of orphans and widows. Now in a box here is the hope of a new generation of youth in long-neglected and -persecuted Lejja. Here lies a leader of Peter Obi’s party, one of the foremost financiers of the Labour Party in Nsukka zone.
Mellitus Chukwuemeka Eze Esq, principal partner of Ozoigbondu Chambers in Onitsha, remained a dependable, sincere, loyal stalwart of our party until the very end. Indeed, on that cursed 14th day October, Melly and the rest of us Obidients in the state were savouring the eclipse — the “gone too soon” — of the PDP and the jamboree of stranded politicians who were seeking refuge under a canopy occupied by mainly outlaws preparing for robberies instead of elections in 2027. I read Melly’s last post on WhatsApp at 3:45pm and he read a post I made at 4:50pm. It was that Tuesday evening that he unexpectedly had an asthma attack. And Nigeria happened to him when he was rushed to a negligent, ill-equipped and incompetent hospital in Onitsha.
We have no tears left in our eyes, for Nigeria has continued to happen to us in unexpected ways. We have come to bid a final farewell to our friend and ally in the struggle for a new Nigeria. The new country Melly dreamed of and the rest of us seek is one in which people could eat well and live well. It is one in which clean water, electricity, good roads, security of life and property, good hospitals and jobs are accessible to all. Our struggle is against drug barons, vote thieves, tribal bigots, treasury looters, extortionists, identity thieves, certificate forgers and oppressors of the poor. While he was alive, Ozoigbondu never sided with corrupt judges, crooked electoral officials, traitors, liars, deceivers, 419ers, saboteurs, kidnappers, ritual killers, armed robbers, hired killers and thugs.
Melly knew that a day like this would come. What he didn’t know was the hour or the month or the year — nobody knows when the grim reaper will knock at the door. But we need not live under a climate of fear. Melly did not. Knowing that it’s not how long one lived that mattered but how well they lived and the lives they touched, he lived each day as if it would be his last. And on October 14, 2025, he was proved right.
Ozoigbondu was friendly to all and could make jokes out of any situation. He was compassionate to a fault. I confirmed this one day that he called me to find out what could be done to save a friend diagnosed with leukemia. I told him I didn’t know of any remedy. He said he hadn’t been himself since he learned of the diagnosis. As he usually did, he emptied his pockets to help his friend.
God blessed his 26-year-old law practice, and he never refused to give back to society. All through our struggle from 2022, Melly was the main financier of our party in Lejja. Besides, he supported the campaigns of many LP candidates in the old Nsukka zone with fez caps, T-shirts and cash. I estimate that he parted with no less than N8m of his personal money during the struggle. For when some of us could donate N50,000, Melly would donate N300,000; when we donated N100,000 he donated N1m or more.
Just before October 14, there was one issue we were preparing to discuss with Melly: the search for the governorship candidate of our party in 2027. Melly’s name was on my list but I was yet to inform him of my intention; we were waiting for our leader Peter Obi’s declaration then expected in November. It’s ironic that Obi is right now in Lagos to honour an invitation by his supporters.
We felt Melly would make a good governor, judging by his antecedents. He was an old warhorse in politics. A formidable campaigner, he ran for House of Assembly in 2003. But, as we all know, no credible election was conducted in the state until 2023. Until then, winners were declared losers and losers declared winners in elections that voting was mere ritual.
As it has turned out, Ozoigbondu (lifesaver of the Igbo) has not lived to see 2027. Truly, nobody knows tomorrow. When, on the morning of October 15, I called Senator Okey Ezea to tell him we had suddenly lost a prized pillar of our party, he told me he had been mourning since he heard the sad piece of news. I knew the senator was in Germany then, but I didn’t know his own life was under a major threat. We were hoping he would come back in time for us to prepare a befitting farewell to Melly. Senator Ezea would have been the person reading this tribute here.
That is the reality of life which has, once more, confronted us. Many a time, I have quoted the Bible book of Ecclesiastes: “Vanity upon vanities…All is vanity.” Shouldn’t we all learn this truth and begin to live in peace and without malice for the short time we have on earth?
We in the Obidient Movement shall do justice to the memories of our fallen heroes by not betraying the cause they stood and lived for. And we request everyone here to listen: Ozoigbondu’s party does not ask for much. We seek free and fair elections. We want votes to count and be counted. We have no place for thugs or violence in our politics. Nothing we do is for selfish reasons. We do not betray our own people for a mess of porridge.
Our struggle against election fraud yielded dividends in 2023, and we won all the five elections conducted in Lejja and in the state. Although some of the people we elected have since betrayed the party, the true members of the Obidient Movement have remained unshaken. We have learned our lessons. In 2022/23 we received gatecrashers with open arms; in 2026/27 charlatans won’t find open doors to our party. No, not anymore! Melly’s party won’t have a lawmaker who could be bought with N30m even before inauguration day. Melly’s party won’t have within its fold politicians who could disrespect our people that voted for them by allowing themselves to be bought by the same people who had robbed them.
Melly leaves behind his wife and young children. He leaves behind siblings and innumerable other relations at home and abroad. He leaves us friends and allies in the Obidient Movement. He leaves behind his professional colleagues and his heartbroken admirers. We’re comforted, however, that he lived a life not tainted by greed or betrayal. We’re happy he leaves behind a good name that can’t be bought with money. We’re glad he never departed from the path of honesty and integrity for which authentic members of our party are known.
As the civil rights movement in America chanted in the 1950s and ’60s, “We shall overcome!” The Obidient Movement shall overcome all obstacles on its way. We shall never betray our people, if to do justice to Melly’s memory.
Farewell, worthy leader. Goodbye, our friend in need. Au revoir, Ozoigbondu.
*– Aniebo Nwamu
for and on behalf of the Obidient Movement
Saturday, December 13, 2025
