BY RITA OYIBOKA/AMAYINDI YAKUBU
Tears, solemn tributes, and prayers marked the final burial rites of retired High Court Judge, Hon. Justice Ifeoma Okogwu, as she was laid to rest today in Asaba, Delta State capital.
Late Justice Okogwu (rtd), who was brutally murdered at her residence in Asaba on November 24, 2025, was accorded full judicial and ecclesiastical honours during the funeral service held at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Bishops Court, Asaba, attended by members of the judiciary, legal practitioners, government officials, clergy, family members, and sympathisers.
In his sermon at the service, titled “What Really Matters At The End”, the Bishop of the Diocese of Asaba, Rt. Rev’d Kingsley the Obuh, drawing his text from Luke 12:13 reminded the congregation that life is a divine gift, not an entitlement.
The Bishop said, the Church was thankful to God for the life of the late Justice Okogwu, noting that it pleased God to call her home after a life of service, faith, and professional dedication.
He cautioned against misplaced priorities, stressing that wealth, titles, and accolades ultimately lose their value at life’s end.
“How you relate with God and with people is what truly matters in the end,” he said, and urged the faithful to live with the consciousness of accountability before God.
The Cleric prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of Justice Okogwu.
Earlier, the Delta State Judiciary had held a Special Valedictory Court Session in her honour at the High Court Complex, Asaba, where the Chief Judge of the State, Justice T. O. Diai, strongly condemned the circumstances surrounding the retired judge’s death.
She denounced the killing as a “callous, audacious, and dastardly act,” lamenting that Justice Okogwu was attacked at a time she was enjoying a quiet and well-earned retirement.
“A retired High Court Judge who served the state and the nation so well does not deserve this kind of exit,” she said. “It is ironic that His Lordship met her end in the very place that should have been her safest, her home.”
The Chief Judge called on governments at all levels to rise to their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property, stressing that citizens should be able to live without fear.
She extended condolences to the deceased’s daughter, Oluchi Okogwu, the Okogwu family, the Anglican Diocese of Asaba, and all those affected by the loss.
She also acknowledged the support of the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for facilitating the special court session, as well as judges, senior lawyers, and members of the Nigerian Bar Association who were in attendance to pay their last respect.
