e Beat because he would not receive bribes!�
He
was eventually redeployed and given a sedentary job in the Office.
Bishop
Campbell exhorted Reverend Anyia�s family when he told them that ��his soul
would pass into Eternity�, adding that death is not the end of our lives but the
beginning of Eternity!
According
to him, �there will be no tears in Heaven�. He said he would remember the
deceased as �a quiet person who never said much but was uncompromising in his
belief�.
In
her Eulogy, Gladys Anyia, the first daughter in the family, said her father had
enjoyed a fruitful life and had ensured that all his children got the best
education.
She
was followed by Chukudi Anyia who described their father as �a man of few
words�.
He
disclosed that the Reverend Anyia had had five women in his life � Regina,
Philippa, Rachel, Patricia and Christy. They had born him 11 children, 13 grand
children and nine great grand children. .
Chukudi
said his father had fathered children until he was in his 60s. He went on to
say that the Reverend Anyia had a built
a house in Igbodo where he wanted his children, grandchildren and great grand
children to visit and converge regularly in order to get to know themselves,and
to study the language and culture of the Igbodo and Ika people of the Delta
State of Nigeria
He
also said that as a result of a car accident, their father had suffered from
cuts and bruises in addition to his terminal illness and had asked them to bury
him in his native Igbodo Village., in case of any eventuality. He had been
receiving treatment at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as well as St.
Mary�s Hospital, all in London.
A
Reception was held at the Kensal Community Association Hall, West London, after
the Funeral Service. A number of members of the Igbodo community in London were
both at the Funeral Service and at the reception, prominent among them were Mr.
Azikiwe and Mrs. Felicia Iyeke and her daughter.
Present
also at both events were other members of the Ika Community in London, Mr.
Michael Akpenyi of Agbor and his Zimbabwean wife, Lois, Chief Mrs.) Gladys Okoh
of Owa, Ika Northeast Local Government area of Delta State and her son, Jason,
Mrs. Grace Igbinedion, of Owa, Ika Northeast, as well as Christopher Buzugbe,
Ika Northeast and his wife, Mrs. Miriam
Morka, wife of the late Lawrence Morka of Alisimie, Agbor,Mr. Lawrence Nosegbe
of Ogbe-Mmudei, Agbor, Ika South and his wife, Gloria, Miss Stella Onwuemezia
of Alisimie, Agbor,Ika South and Mr. Ben
Ohen of Owa Alizomor in the Ika
Northeast Local Government Area.
The
Funeral Directors, J.H. Kenyon, had served the local community for 125 years.
It was originally a family business, but the family sold up the business about
20 years ago but still has some links with the operations of the Company.
The
late Reverend Francis Anyia would be buried in his beloved hometown, Igbodo, by
his family.
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