The body of Chris Mba, the great Nigerian singer, who passed on at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in May was laid to rest on Friday August 25, in his hometown of Umuhuaba in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.
The wood tinted coffin containing the body of the late vivacious performer was draped with the flag of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) as it was lowered into the grave. COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji was on hand in Umuhuaba to ensure that this important last honour which is accorded to revered members of the COSON family was accorded the late Chris Mba. Accompanying Chief Okoroji to decorate the casket in Umuhuaba were two frontline members of the COSON Board, Chief Uche Emeka Paul who flew in from Abuja and Sir Angus Power Nwangwu, who came from Enugu.
The burial in Chris Mba’s compound followed a well-attended open air funeral service held at the sprawling field of Umuhuaba Primary School. The funeral service was conducted by several pastors of Living Faith Ministries, also known as Winners Chapel. They were led by Pastor Flourish Moses, Pastor Thomas Okim, Pastor Chinedu Success and many others. Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, was represented at the service by his Senior Special Assistant on Tourism and Entertainment, Martins Okechukwu Justice, popularly known in the entertainment industry as J. Martins.
Speaking on the significance of draping the coffin with the COSON flag, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji said, “COSON is primarily a copyright collective management organization. We have however grown the organization into the nation’s biggest family of creative people. Apart from our now very popular mantra, “Let the music pay!”, It is the policy of the COSON family to care for our members both in life and in death. The COSON flag that accompanies the casket into the grave conveys the message that we do not abandon our member even in death.
COSON’s music paying
“We do this for COSON members who have significantly distinguished themselves as creative people. Those who were present at the unforgettable burial of the late Ras Kimono, in Onicha Olona, Delta State, will recall that the casket was draped with the COSON flag as it was lowered. The people of Ora Eri in Anambra State would not have forgotten the significant presence of COSON in 2021 at the burial of the great Gospel music minister and COSON board member, Hon John Ndidika Ewelukwa Udegbunam which attracted over 50 catholic reverend fathers and the Most Rev. (Dr) Peter Okpaleke then a Catholic bishop who thereafter was appointed a Cardinal by His Holiness, Pope Francis. Of course, the casket was draped with the COSON flag. It is the greatest respect the great COSON family can accord our member in death.”
It will be recalled that a week before the burial in Abia State, COSON rolled out the red carpet in Lagos for a fabulous Red-Carpet Tribute Night at the magnificent COSON House In Ikeja in honour of Chris Mba. The Red-Carpet Tribute Night attended by Chris Mba’s wife and children and almost every member of the COSON Board, was an exceptional event with a unique multimedia presentation titled ‘THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHRIS MBA’, which was anchored by COSON’s Snr. Communication Executive, Mandu Uwem Umoh. There was a lot of great live music and dancing at the tribute night.
