Elder Silas Amaghoronu Nwachukwu, father-in-law of the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Publishing Limited, is dead. He died during a brief illness at the age of 78.
Born a prince in 1943 to the late His Royal Highness, Eze Gabriel Uganwa of Umugakwo, in Eziama Ngor-Okpala, now in Ochulu Autonomous Community, Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area, Imo State, Elder Nwachukwu started his elementary education at Community Central School, Ohekelem and completed it at another primary school in Umuogu, Mbaise, in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area Imo State, where he obtained a Standard Six.
He worked at Cadbury Nigeria Plc as a salesman in the 1960s, first in Western Region, where they used megaphone to promote Bornvita and Pronto from street to street, and later in the Eastern Region.
Elder Nwachukwu was serving in the Eastern Region when the civil war broke out, but he did something remarkable. He was the only Cadbury staff in the Eastern Region who returned the company’s property in his possession, including a brand new pick-up van, money and products, through John Holt in Enugu for onward return to Lagos. His other colleagues converted theirs to personal use.
For his rare display of honesty, Cadbury Plc re-employed him after the civil war at a supervisory position. He left Cadbury some years after and returned to his village, where he engaged in farming and community service.
Elder Nwachukwu is survived by his wife, Fidelia Nwachukwu, and seven children, including Mrs. Chidiadi Iheanacho, Mrs. Nkechi Alessandra Onuoha-Ukeh, Miss Chikaodi Nwachukwu, Miss Oluchi Nwachukwu, Mrs. Chinasa Chidi-Okoro, Mr. Andrew Chinaegbomkpa Nwachukwu and Mr. Chibuzor Nwachukwu.