Ini Ekpenyong
2019 World Para Powerlifting Invitational
Championship Silver Medalist Ini Ekpenyong has
been reported dead, according to Vanguard.
The 46-year old died after a very brief illness.

According to his wife Anuli Ekpenyong, the silver
medalist who lifted 107kg in the World Para
Powerlifting World Cup in 2019 died since
November 1, 2019 in his house in Ikorodu and
was yet to be buried.

How could an athlete who represented Nigeria
last year in a World championship die unsung?
Ekpenyong’s widow explained that he was only
sick for three days.

“He was sick for only three days. He complained
of headache which he also said was disturbing
his eyeballs and his back. He said it felt like his
eyes wanted to come out from its sockets, so we
took him to a hospital on Monday in Ikorodu
town because that’s where we live.

“We stayed in the hospital for three days and on
the fourth day which was a Thursday, the doctor
said we should take him home because they said
it was not what could be handled in the hospital.
His blood pressure was too high.

“We left and I carried him to a church on
Thursday. The church belonged to one Calabar
man. The pastor said that we should take him
home and that they will come on Friday to do an
all night vigil for him. So I took him home. Even
that night, one of his friends called Niyi came
with one man to ‘work’ for him. Niyi is his best
friend and also a powerlifter. When the man
finished, he left .

“Around 7 or 8 o’clock, my husband who was
talking well before then suddenly started
breathing abnormally. I ran outside and called
people to come and help me. People came and
held him and before I knew what was happening,
he gave up o”.

I asked Mrs Ekpenyong about the family
members of his husband.

“His sisters came to my house and said they
want to go and see their brother in the mortuary.
They collected the death certificate from the man
who helped me to take my husband to the
morgue . After seeing him, the sisters said they
want to carry his body to the village so they
took him home.

“Before then, they became quarrelsome. We are
in good terms but I was surprised when they
came and started asking for some of my
husband’s documents. They were asking many
questions. Where is the file? Where are his
documents? Whether my husband bought land?
I told them that I don’t know anything. I went
inside and carried a file my husband kept and
gave them. They went through it and said this
was not the file they wanted .

They asked me how many accounts my husband
opened? I got angry and asked them if this was
the questions they should be asking me at this
time of grief. When my husband was sick, I
called his sisters. None of them came. When he
died and his body was in the house, I called
them and none of them came. Now they came on
Sunday and started asking for his property. I
said madam, I don’t know anything o!

“That day, Coach Agbor was there and he told
me not to say anything. Ijeoma was also there.
She was the one who asked them why they were
oppressing the poor widow with these young
children. Instead of consoling her, you people are
fighting for property even when the body is just
one day old in the mortuary.

“I don’t really understand! I don’t know if this is
how they do in their place? Anyway, when they
wanted to carry the corpse to the village, they
said I must follow them to go to the village and
stay there. It was that coach who asked them if
they’ll feed me and my children in the village. I
went to the village with them.

“My family now said no that they can’t leave me
in the village when they’re not yet ready to bury
my husband and moreover, my children are just 7
and 4 years old. I came back to Lagos. It’s only
his brother who calls me but the five sisters….
hmmm.”.

I asked Ekpenyong’s widow if there was any
property of her husband that the sisters were
after.

“For where? Nothing! He left nothing instead we
are in debt… in short… (she breaks down and
started sobbing)

“ Only God knows how we are going to survive. I
want to beg the government to help me to take
care of my children. I don’t want them to stop
school. Their dad said before his death that the
first daughter will be a doctor, the second a
lawyer and the third, an engineer. Let it come to
pass.

“Before he died, he told me to look after the
children. That I should make sure that there is
unity and love among his children. He wanted
his children to be educated. Now I’ll look for
something to do to make sure they go to school
. My children are my problem now”.

In an emotion laden voice, Mrs Ekpenyong said
she will miss her husband sorely.

“My husband was a nice man. Very nice and he
had no problem with anyone. If you offend him,
he will shout but it will end there. He bears no
grudges. He was bold and if you did anything
wrong, he will tell you. He was a very good
man.

“I will remember him for everything….Everything…
( she starts to sob again and her voice peaks)
Everything…ah! He was there for me. He never
allowed me to lack anything. He loved me and
never let me cry. He only wanted to make me
happy…(sobbing).

Ini Ekpenyong met his wife Anuli who hails from
Isele Uku in Delta state at a friend’s wedding in
2008 and got married.

It was Coach Feyisetan Are who broke this news
to me while we chatted on phone about the late
Olympic Gold medalist, Ndidi Nwosu who died on
March 1, 2020

“We even lost another Para Powerlifter…” Are
said on phone.

He gave me the wife’s phone number and I
quickly put a call through to her.

Are, a well known para Powerlifting coach told
me that not much was known about Ekpenyong
who was just beginning to come to limelight.

“He was just an upcoming athlete, though he
started powerlifting in 1996. He represented Delta
state at the National Sports festival and they
employed him.

“Before then, he was a Lagos athlete and I
trained him. He was a very very good athlete.
The only problem he had was that Nigeria
doesn’t go to international Para Powerlifting
competitions with heavyweights because,
internationally, the heavyweights push almost
290kg to 300kg while here, we lift just 200kg.

The heaviest Ini lifted was 170kg during the last
World Para Powerlifting Championship held in
Abuja. That’s why he wasn’t able to represent
the country, coupled with age and other factors.

“The problem is that most of them will not come
out to say they’re sick because they don’t want
to be dropped from any competition. Some too
don’t have money to go to a good hospital so
they stay at home. “

Areh prayed the Delta state government to help
the children of the late athlete to get educated at
the university level, provide a one or two
bedroom apartment for the family and give the
wife employment in Delta state.

Until his death, Ini Ekpenyong worked at the
Delta State Sports Commission. He was
employed by the state after competing for the
state in the National Sports Festival in Abuja.

His wife confirmed that Ini Ekpenyong will be
buried on April 24, 2020 in his home town in Itu
local government area of Akwa Ibom state. He
left behind a wife and three children. He was 46.


https://www.tori.ng/news/144264/death-strikes-again-as-another-nigerian-para-power.html

Shebi na Calabar ba?

Na village people matter....

Rest in Peace ...Nigerians are proud of your contributions to the nation