BY GOLDMARK OWOOLA-ADEOJO
Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) staff and management threw their moral support behind their Chief Operating officer (COO), Mrs. Edith Udeagu who recently lost her father, Ambassador Victor N. Chibundu to the hands of death at a ripen age of 85.
Unlike many bosses with high handedness, Edith who was firm but not wicked has been a source of inspirations to her staff and the management. Perhaps, this was the reason for the large turnout.
Radiating in the cool colour Ankara attire but with lots of eye catching designs, NIRA community led by the Vice President Mr. Mohammed Rudman accompanied by his beautiful wife, and Mr. Sikiru Shehu, NIRA financial secretary were at the special celebration for the late ambassador by the Chinese community in Nigeria.
The evergreen and beautiful occasion which started 10; 30am had the Chinese Community in Nigeria led by the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, Deputy Consul General Mr. Lin Yong, troops in large number to pay tributes.
“On behalf of the Chinese Community in Nigeria, we feel the pain and vacuum, but we want to openly commend his selfless efforts. We will never forget him as a link to the good friendship between China and Nigeria which both countries are enjoying today.
“Ambassador Chibundu was at the position of Nigeria’s Chief Political Counselor of China /Ambassador from 1980 to 1985, and founded Nigeria- China friendship Association in 1989 and became the President of the association.”
Continuing”, Amb. Chibundu focused on the development of Bilateral relations which helped Chinese enterprises and Chinese overseas in Nigeria a lot ; this has helped in sealing the bond of Nigeria-China friendship development cum relationship. No Chinese will ever forget him and his contributions in a hurry”.
Other Chinese Nationals that contributed to the events are the President of the Chinese Aids Center, Mr. Sun Guoping. The Chairman of China Industrial & Commercial Enterprises association; Confucius Institute at the University of Lagos; Chinese Associations in Nigeria; Wood Association; Wig Association; Women’s Federation’ China Fujian Association; the Secretary of West Africa –Chinese and Chinese Overseas general federation, Mr. Xue Xiaoming. Mr. Liu Chang; head of the Chinese Community in Nigeria, Mr. Jackson Sun Ping. Mr. Lu Lu and a host of other Chinese National across Nigeria.
At the wake keep ceremony which held at the Class events center in Surulere, those who couldn’t attend in the morning event took time to grace the evening programme.
Prayers were recited for the soul of the departed, while merriments followed.
The COO who couldn’t hide her total pleasure at the reception was grateful to both NIRA staff and other well-wishers’ that graced the occasion
For the records, Amb. Chibundu after retiring from the Nigerian Foreign Service in 1990, still went ahead to improve the ties between Nigeria and China and founded the NICAF in 1994, which is a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting exchanges and cooperation between the peoples of the two countries. He also wrote four books on the development of Nigeria- China ties. Globally the books he wrote have become important reference books for researchers on the Nigerian-China ties.
He was honoured with the ‘’International Leaders in Achievement Award’’,by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge England in 1988.He also received the ‘’Africa International Award of Merit ‘’on 18th November 2002,by the intra-West African Communications, for contributing immensely of the economic growth of African Continent. Ambassador (Chief) V.N Chibundu, was elected a leader in the field of Diplomacy in to the renowned ‘’International order of Merit’’ in 2004,inducted into the ‘’Hall of Fame’’ for African in 2006 by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England and also appointed Honorary Director-General of the International Biographical Centre (IBC) in July 2007.
He married Catherine Ekpendu in April 1959, and they are blessed with four daughters and one son, all university graduates gainfully employed home and abroad.
