Mr. & Mrs. Chibuzor Ikwunze, of Umuagu, Umuhu Ohuhu in Umuahia North local government of Abia State who lost all their four kids in the ill-fated barbecue known as suya and fruit juice meal have marked the first adversary of the ugly incident.
The four children, Kelechi Chibuzor 12, Sunday Chibuzor 10, Oluomachi Chibuzor (f) 8, and Kingsley Chibuzor 3, were among the seven persons who passed on on August 25, 2021, in Umuahia after the meal.
They had during the school holidays last visited a family friend, Mr. Sunday Ogbah at Umuaeze in Umuahia North when the sad incident occurred.
Mr. Ogbah himself along with two children also died mysteriously. Only his wife and daughter survived even though they also ate from the said meal.
Speaking with ABN TV on Wednesday in Umuahia, the couple said it has not been easy to cope without the presence of their children.
Mr. Chibuzor Ikwunze said he and his wife have only been coping through the grace of God and prayer from loved ones.
“It’s not something that is easy, it is a heavy burden to me, that one day all my four kids I play with, I eat with and do everything with and all of a sudden I realize they have all gone
“If not by God’s grace and the love He has towards me and my wife, it is not easy at all. I thank God for his strength and grace which has kept us alive even as we bear our pain. I thank Him for the fortitude, the health, and grace to endure
“It is not by our strength it is by the prayer of God’s children upon us that sustained us,” he said in Igbo.
The wife, Mrs. Ikwunze also corroborated the husband’s position, saying it has been a difficult experience.
The family also expressed dissatisfaction that the result of the autopsy conducted by the state government on the victims to ascertain the actual cause of their death had not been released to them one year later.
They gave the wife of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu a thumbs down for not showing care as a mother despite several efforts to get her assistance to help Mrs. Ikwunze get over her losses.
Mr. Ikwunze said the family has appealed to the Abia first lady to assist his wife with employment to get her engaged so she could heal from the losses.
He thanked the people of Ohuhu community, especially Chief Obi Aguocha the president general, Hon. Sam Onuigbo, Abia Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji who donated a car and other Interventions to assist the family and other individuals.
He urged parents to pay adequate attention to their children at all times.
