Onyemelukwe, Nigerian Chief Electrical Engineer of the country’s Electricity Corporation, generated international attention when he married Catherine Zastrow, a white Peace Corps volunteer, who had just completed her service in 1964.

Although his parents had rejoiced that, he had returned from nine years in the United Kingdom without a foreign white wife, in 1963 he met Catherine in Lagos where they got married.

“Peace Corps Worker to Wed Nigerian Engineer,” was the headline for a brief article in The New York Times from Lagos, Nigeria on Dec. 23, 1964.

Onyemelukwe initiated the planning and development of the electricity grid still used in Nigeria today when he became Chief Electrical Engineer in 1962.

He left the electricity industry to found Freeman Engineering in Lagos in 1973. In 1976 he founded Colechurch International Ltd, a project management and promotion company, in United Kingdom.

He and his wife Catherine moved to Westport in 1993.

He initially held a residence card, known as a “green card,” as he was spending a good part of his time in his home country Nigeria on business.

In 2007, he finally became an American citizen. He was a speaker at the Y’s Men and an active library user while working on his latest book or researching business ideas.

His wife Catherine was president of the library board in 1999-2000, prior to becoming the Director of Development for the YMCA. She is an active member of TEAM Westport and The Unitarian Church in Westport.

Onyemelukwe died January18, 2020 in his home in Westport of lung cancer.

According to a family statement, his life will be celebrated on March 7, 2020, at 1 p.m at the unitarian church in Westport.

The statement added that Onyemelukwe would be buried in the family compound in his ancestral village beside his parents in April.

He is survived by his wife Catherine, three children namely: Chinakueze, Elizabeth, and Samuel, and five grandchildren, Kenechi, Nkiru, Teya, Bruche and Ikem, a brother and three sisters.

yomi96:
Uche don come again. Howfar na

yomi96:
Uche don come again. Howfar na

egalitarianism:
Damn. My friend, rest on. You use your youthful days for benefiting others, thereby writing your name on platter of gold. Shame on youths of nowadays, all you do This age is to talk about sex, relationship, gossip and sorts. You don't sit alone and think of how to benefit others. This is why older generation keep riding your l like horse, you're not serious with your future. You're not ready to take it into your hands. WAKE FROM SLUMBER. USE YOUR HEAD.
Though I won't still stop clamouring for retiring the old thieves, to pave way for the sound minded youths. God bless you all my children. Stay safe and out of trouble

SLAP44:
10 points to note about this topic.

1. Onyemekukwe was a trained expert on electrical matters

2. He designed Nigerian electrical grid and was instrumental to running it till the war broke out

3. He must have fled Lagos like others

4. When he returned, his position has been given to one of those who won the war

5. The person who took his position might be a mediocre quota system figure head who is just occupying the position just because they won the war.

6. Electricity expansion and maintenance took a nose dive as the winner of the war took all money making positions and milked the nation dry.

7. Onyemekukwe got frustrated and left to form his own private company after the war, later got fed up as Nigeria continued to die in instalments, so he relocated abroad to allow Nigeria to die very well.

8. Till today Nigerian electricity is still wallowing in the wilderness with zero hope in sight.

9. Till we find good people that will forgive Nigeria and work with their whole energy and God given talents, Nigeria will continue to descend to Yemen levels.

10. That is the story of Nigeria.

post=90971241:
Engineer onyemelukwe is the owner of Colechurch of International Ltd ,he is from Nanaka , Anambra state, his son, China Danfort onyemelukwe,one of the most prominent and important investment banker in Europe.

majamajic:


Do they have connection with Anglican bishop Onyemelukwe also from nanka ?

Electricity generation started in Nigeria in 1896 but the first electric utility company, known as the Nigerian Electricity Supply Company, was established in 1929.

kenigwe18:
Sometimes I ponder how Nigeria would be if we hadn't gain independence..... Alot of white girls on the street