The burial ceremony of Pa Lawrence Ukachukwu Ifoh, father of the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, has become a gathering point for political leaders and prominent Nigerians who converged on Umuobasi Mbala, Isuochi, in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, to bid farewell to the nonagenarian.

Pa Ifoh, who died at the age of 91, was remembered as a successful businessman, community leader and committed Christian whose life was characterised by integrity, hard work, faith and service to others.

Among those who honoured the deceased were Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, and former Minister of Labour and Employment Nkiruka Onyejeocha.

In separate condolence messages, the dignitaries highlighted the values and influence Pa Ifoh left behind, describing his life as a testament to the enduring importance of character, family and service.

Vice President Shettima said the late patriarch’s Christian convictions and moral values remained a lasting legacy for his children and the wider community. He also attributed Pa Ifoh’s success in business to diligence, honesty, sound judgment and forthrightness.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described Pa Ifoh as a man of quiet strength, wisdom and enduring faith, noting that his 91 years were marked by love, discipline and positive influence on those around him.

Peter Obi, while commiserating with the family, prayed for the eternal repose of the deceased and urged the bereaved to draw comfort from the meaningful life he lived.

Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu said the significance of a man’s life should not be measured merely by his years on earth, but by the values he passed on, the lives he touched and the legacy he left behind.

For Onyejeocha, who attended the burial personally, Pa Ifoh’s death represented a major loss not only to the Ifoh family but also to the church and Umuobasi Autonomous Community.

She described the deceased as a man whose life positively influenced everyone who came in contact with him, adding that Christian faith offered comfort to the family in the face of the loss.

The Labour Party also turned out in strength, with its National Chairman, Julius Abure, represented by the party’s governorship candidate in Abia State, Chief Ceekay Igara. Igara said the occasion underscored the responsibility of leaders to remain close to the people not only during moments of celebration but also in times of grief.

In his homily, Venerable Stanley Anyanwu of St. Michael’s Anglican Church urged the gathering to reflect on the legacy each person would leave behind after death.

He described Pa Ifoh’s devotion to God, humility and service as qualities worthy of emulation, stressing that a meaningful life should leave behind a legacy capable of speaking for the deceased long after his departure.

The burial consequently served not only as a farewell to Pa Lawrence Ukachukwu Ifoh but also as a celebration of a life that touched family, business, church and community.

The gathering of political leaders across party lines further underscored the respect accorded the late patriarch and the breadth of relationships he built during his 91 years.

Pa Ifoh’s final journey thus ended with tributes centred on faith, integrity, service and legacy—values which mourners said would continue to define his memory among those he left behind.