Tears flowed on Saturday as family, friends, and colleagues gathered in Agulu, Anaocha LGA of Anambra State, to bid farewell to Arise TV news anchor, Somtochukwu “Sommie” Maduagwu, who was tragically killed during a robbery in Abuja last month.
Among those in attendance was Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who described her death as both heartbreaking and symbolic of Nigeria’s deepening insecurity.
Speaking after the funeral Mass at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Agulu, Obi said, “We cannot question God. This is a painful loss, but we must accept His will. I only later discovered she was from Agulu too. I rushed back from Birmingham for this burial because I consider her one of my own.”
Maduagwu was buried around 1:30 p.m., following the service officiated by Rev. Fr. Peter Ezewuzie, who consoled mourners and urged them to draw comfort from the belief that she lived a meaningful and impactful life.
Fr. Ezewuzie said, “The quality of life is more important than the length. Somtochukwu lived well. God, who created her, loves her more than we ever could. She is in a better place now.”
Her uncle, Obi Maduagwu, expressed gratitude to Arise News for their unwavering support since her passing. “They have stood by us every step of the way,” he said.
The 2025 killing of Maduagwu shocked Nigeria’s media industry. Armed assailants reportedly broke into her home at night, and she was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Tributes have continued to pour in for the vibrant journalist, widely remembered as intelligent, hardworking, and full of promise.
Her burial drew prominent figures, government officials, journalists, and members of the Agulu community all united in mourning the loss of a rising media star whose light was extinguished too soon.
Advertisement
