By Ingram Osigwe
“A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies.”— Maya Angelou
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”— Albert Einstein
On Thursday April 28th, 2016, I left Akokwa enroute Igbo Ukwu, Aguata local government area, Anambra state, to attend the burial ceremony of the Late Ezinne Lucy M. Mmuoemenam, mother of yet to be interred Sir Edwin Mmuoemenam(Ebekuodike). I lost my way when I entered Igbo Ukwu and beckoned a roving Okada man for direction. The moment I mentioned Sir Eddie, his countenance brightened. While leading me to the funeral venue, the Okada rider hailed Eddie ceaselessly, roaring “Eddie Santana”!
After the burial, I asked some Igboukwu friends the reason behind the “Santana” suffix to his name and they revealed that Sir Eddie was among the earliest young rich men that bought brand new Santana– a choice car of the nouveau rich- in the 1980s but never let what was at that time a rare achievement got into his head as he remained his humble, unassuming self; relating with the young and old, rich and poor.
I’m not from Igbo Ukwu. I’m from Akokwa in Ideato North local government area, Imo state, I therefore, with heavy heart, pen this tribute as an Akokwa man who knew Eddie through his business association with two prominent Akokwa sons, Sir Tony Ezenna(Orange Drugs) with whom he sat on the same board at the defunct Guardian Express Insurance, Guardian Express bank and later the defunct Spring Bank. Sir Eddie was till his untimely passage a Director in Swift network, a telecom giant whose CEO is from Akokwa. One of his contractors now late, a fellow devout Anglican at St Barth, Aguda, Lagos, Engr. Jojo Udensi also hailed from Akokwa. Akokwa was like a second home for late Sir Eddie. He was a frequent visitor to the residences of Sir Tony Ezenna (Ijele Akokwa) and Chief Charles Anudu, CEO of Swift Networks.
My path and Eddie’s crossed 24 years ago not as a business associate, peer group or fellow school Alumni but as an “errand boy” that delivered new year souvenirs and calenders from Orange Drugs Chairman to his Ilupeju, Lagos office.
In one of my visits, he had asked me some questions, when he found out that I’m from Akokwa, we immediately struck friendship.
As I pen this tribute, I’m painfully looking at his mother’s funeral A3 Brochure, one of the best planned brochures I have seen in my life. It’s quite tragic but with total submission to God, Sir Eddie will be buried this Saturday, almost ten years after he bid his mother farewell.
Sir Eddie Muomenam is the opposite of what some loud businessmen are: He had infectious charisma, he was humility personified and a large hearted philanthropist.
In 2003, Robert Dallek penned a compelling biography for Late American President, JFK Kennedy and titled it, “JFK: An Unfinished Life. Drawing from that thought- provoking biography, I gave my tribute to this illustrious son of Igbo Ukwu a similar title for the Nnabugwus, his first business mentors, his family, Ndi Igbo Ukwu, Ndi Igbo, business associates and the Anglican community, Sir Edwin Chukwudi Mmuoemenam lived an Unfinished life.
Indeed, like Kennedy, Sir Eddie Mmuoemenam’s sudden exit from the world stage left hearts quaking, eyes teary and family and friends asking why and living in denial of the evaporation of his early existence.
But the grim reality of his death stares us all crudely on the face. The undeniability of Sir Mmuemenam’s demise underscores the empheramity of life. Yes, the finality of his earthly sojourn is difficult to accept. Employing the past tense while writing about him is the most difficult task his family, friends- myself inclusive- and associates have had to grapple since Saturday October 18 2025 when the unexpected happened.
Sir Edwin Mmuoemenam–full of vitality as always- had gone for his regular sporting exercise, this time, at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. As he set out for home afterward, he suddenly developed a cardiac arrest whilst in the car and was later pronounced dead.
Now, the question that tugs at the hearts of all who encountered Eddie is, why do good people hurry off life amid the kindness, love and warmth they spread around? Like John Kennedy like Eddie; Eddie’s candle got extinguished by death just when the illumination was still decorating humanity with good heartedness.
A man of valour and purpose who wore integrity and humility like a garb, Sir Mmuoemenam was born on 12th June 1961 in Igbo-Ukwu, into the family of Late Mr. Bertram Mmuoemenam and Mrs. Lucy Mmuoemenam, of Umueze-Opube kindred, Umunono, Obiuno Village, Igbo-Ukwu, in Aguata local government area of Anambra State. He was the third child of the family of five children.
Sir Eddie whose entrepreneurial, can- do spirit became noticeably as a young lad began his primary education in Igbo-Ukwu and completed it at Azigbo Community, his maternal home. Burning with zeal for further knowledge, he later proceeded in 1975 to Philips Commercial Bureau School, Onitsha, for his secondary education which was facilitated by the foresight of his uncle, Ichie Ephraim Nnabugwu.
It is pertinent to note that Nnabugwu had a great influence on Eddie and would prove pivotal in shaping his formative years.
It was under Nnabugwu’s mentorship that Eddie’s entrepreneurial fervour found expression when he (Nnabugwu) saddled him with the responsibility of overseeing his interests in a new business partnership in which he(Eddie) also later became a shareholder.
That first shot at managing a business was to prepare Eddie for the highly successful industrialist and business mogul he would later become.
Having honed his business skill under the tutelage and guidance of his uncle in Onitsha, the goal- getting and result oriented young Eddie was determined to explore the frontiers and horizon of business enterprise hence his decision to relocate to Lagos. However, relocation to the then Nigeria’s capital and commercial hub of the country did not translate into instant breakthrough for Eddie as he had faced what he later described as “hopeless hope”.
One of the daring business decisions Eddie made upon relocation to Lagos was a switch from automobile and battery trading to pharmaceutical venture. For Eddie, it was indeed akin to starting afresh but with patience, humility and hardwork, that far- reaching decision would later yield invaluable success for it later birthed a plethora of companies namely EDIC GROUP of COMPANIES, led by his flagship enterprise, EDIC Chemicals & Allied Distribution Ltd, and later Clarion Medicals Ltd–companies that grew to become formidable forces in the importation, manufacturing, and distribution of chemicals, pharmaceutical and allied products in Nigeria.
Through these platforms, Sir Edwin Mmuoemenam did far more than build wealth; he helped preserve lives, restore health, strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare supply chain, and contribute meaningfully to national development. Entrepreneurial and investment expansion and diversification were the hallmark of Sir Edwin Mmuoemenam business philosophy as he later made a foray into food processing with the birthing of Bemm Foods Ltd, a brand that produced high-quality peanuts, cheeseballs, and a growing range of snack products that combined taste, consistency, and excellence, at the time.
By October last year when he departed, Eddie has emerged a household name in Nigeria’s business, corporate and board room circles, serving as Director and Chairman of reputable organizations spanning banking, mortgage, insurance, telecommunications, oil and gas, manufacturing, and energy services.
He was the founding Chairman of Danico Foods Ltd, former Chairman of Segofs Energy Services Ltd, and a Director at Swift Networks Ltd, among many other corporate engagements. He was also a big player the real estate sector with investments in premium and choice properties across Nigeria and beyond. It is pertinent to state that in every venture, he stood visibly as a contributor to the Nigerian and even foreign economies, and a committed employer of labour.
As he rose in the corporate and board room rungs, Sir Eddie was also broadening his intellect. For example, he was an alumnus of the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC), Lagos. He also attended executive programs at Harvard Business School, Massachusetts, USA, and was a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Direct Marketing of Nigeria.
Adept at encouraging human capital development of young people, the late Sir Mmuoemenam established a well articulated apprenticeship system rooted in mentorship, discipline, and opportunity which enabled him to nurture young men into confident business owners and industry leaders by equipping them with practical skills and sound financial grounding. Many of his mentees are today highly successful businessmen themselves, employers of labour and job creators.
Till death, though wealthy by all standard, Sir Mmuoemenam remained unassuming, simple and humble. He was a case study of the right hand not knowing what the left hand gives as admonished by Jesus Christ in the Bible. He gave to the poor, to the downtrodden, to community development efforts, to the church etc without fanfare and without trumpeting it.
As testified by an indigene of Igbo Ukwu:
“One of his final public appearances was at the ₦200 million launch of the Igbo-Ukwu Development Union (IDU), Lagos Branch, held at the IDU Hall, Orile area of Lagos, on Sunday, 28th September 2025. When the appointed Chief Launcher for the event was unavailable, Sir Edwin Mmuoemenam selflessly stepped in. With visible passion and conviction, he called for peace, unity, and collective progress for Igbo-Ukwu—a message that now stands as a prophetic farewell and an enduring legacy”
A man of faith, prayer and deep conviction, Sir Eddie loved the things of God and selflessnessly propagated the gospel of Christ through various ways.For example the imprint of his sacrificial giving is glaring at St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos where he way a lay reader.
Besides, he single-handedly built the ultra-modern St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Igbo-Ukwu, among many other sacrificial givings to God, which he preferred to be in secret.
Sir Edwin Mmuoemenam also built several church buildings across various states in Nigeria.
A story has been told about a certain clergyman who recalled a touching encounter with Sir Edwin: He was deeply troubled when he saw worshippers gathered under a tree on a worship day, exposed to the elements. He described it as an eyesore. Without hesitation, he asked for the cost of constructing a proper church building. Shortly after completing that project, he quietly went on to build three more buildings for the congregation.
Before his death, Sir Eddie served as Chairman, Board of Trustees of Christ the King Secondary School, Igbo-Ukwu, under the Anglican Diocese of Aguata, and was a proud Knight of St. Christopher (KSC) of the Anglican Communion.
His compassion for humanity found powerful expression through the Edwin Mmuoemenam Care Foundation, through which he touched countless lives. His philanthropy knew no boundaries of tribe, faith, or background. His scholarships lifted indigent children, his generosity restored hope, and his quiet interventions rewrote destinies. He single-handedly constructed a standard, high-quality 2-kilometre road in Igbo-Ukwu and was preparing to commence the second phase—from Ahiagu Obiuno to Etiti Village, Igbo-Ukwu, in 2026. Sadly, that dream was not realized. From donating transformers to quietly lifting the burdens of widows and less-privileged families, his impact was both practical and deeply human.
In recognition of his many selfless contributions, the Igbo-Ukwu community had resolved to bestow on him a Merit Chieftaincy Title on 4th January 2025. However, true to his aversion to publicizing his charity, he graciously declined the honour—choosing humility over accolades, service over applause.
Sir Edwin Mmuoemenam was married to Lady Juliet Chizoba Obialunanma Mmuoemenam, (nee Iwegbuna); the union was blessed with five children: Onyinye, Ifeanyi, Etom, Chiagozie, and Chukwudi.
He will be buried in his country home on Saturday, February 7, 2026 after a funeral service at St. Peter’s Anglican church, Igbo Ukwu.
As Sir Eddie is lowered to the grave, let us all- those he left behind- be consoled by Abraham Lincoln immortal words: “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years”.
Ebekuodike indeed lived a short but salutary and impactful life.
*Osigwe, a Public Engagement and Strategic Communication expert is the MD of Fullpage Communication Ltd. He wrote in from Akokwa.
