Michael Emenalo, the respected former Super Eagles defender and current Saudi Pro League Sports Director, has announced the final arrangements for his mother's funeral. The late Ezinne Jane Nwanyinnaya Ogbonnaya Emenalo (nee Agbaeze) will be laid to rest in her hometown this weekend.
Funeral Rites and Service of Songs
The journey to the final resting place began with a service of songs held on Thursday, January 15, 2026. The solemn event was conducted by the clergy of St. Peter’s Methodist Church at the late matriarch's residence, located at No 1 Nwagiri Street off 33 Udi Street, in the Umungasi area of Aba, Abia State.
Emenalo, who also served as a sports director and assistant coach for Chelsea FC in England, outlined the sequence of events leading to the burial. According to the plan, his mother's remains will be moved from St Francis Mortuary to her Aba residence on Friday. From there, the body will be taken to her ancestral home for the lying-in-state ceremony.
Final Journey to Okoko Item
The final obsequies will take place on Saturday, January 17, 2026. The burial service is scheduled to be held at the LG Primary School in Okoko Item, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State. Clergymen from St. Peter’s Methodist Church, Riverside Circuit in Aba, will officiate the ceremony.
Following the church service, the remains of Ezinne Jane Emenalo will be committed to mother earth at her country home in Ufuajuru Amaoji, Okoko Item. The family has chosen the same LG Primary School as the venue for the after-burial reception, which will commence immediately after the interment rites.
A Gathering of Friends and Associates
The former Enyimba and Enugu Rangers football star indicated that the event is expected to be graced by a host of his friends, former colleagues, and associates from his illustrious career in sports administration and football. The gathering is poised to be a solemn celebration of the life of the family matriarch.
The Emenalo family has invited well-wishers to join them in paying their last respects as they bid farewell to a beloved mother and community figure. The burial marks the conclusion of a life well-lived in the close-knit community of Okoko Item.
