Former Information Attache Dies in Washington

The death has been announced of a former Information Attaché, Embassy of Nigeria, Washington DC, U.S.A., Mr. Nicholas Nwanede Ojie.

Aged 52, Mr. Ojie died at the Adventist Hospital, Shady Grove, Maryland, USA on Friday April 4, 2003 after a brief illness.

Mr. Ojie joined the Federal Ministry of Information as Information Officer I in August 1980 and retired voluntarily as Chief Information Officer in December, 1996. From March 1992 to March 1995 he served as the Information Attaché/Head Nigeria Information Service Centre (NISC), Embassy of Nigeria, Washington, DC, USA.

Until his death he was a writer with one of his books on children stories just about to be published.

A native of Obinomba in Ndokwa Local Government area of Delta State, Nigeria. 'Nick' as is popularly called was very prominent among the Nigerian community in Washington and its environ.

Mr. Ojie is survived by a wife Franca and two children Ndidi and Uche.

Funeral arrangements as announced by the family, is as follows:

Friday April 11, 2003
Traditional Wake-keeping ceremony at
13201 Verdi Court (off Columbia Pike)
Silver Spring, Maryland from 8:00 p.m. till 1:00 a.m.

Saturday April 12, 2003
Funeral Service at Jenkins Funeral Home
7474 Landover Road (Route 202)
Landover, Maryland 20785 from 6 - 9 p.m.

Wednesday April 16, 2003
Body leaves Washington, DC for Lagos, Nigeria for interment.

Nigerians resident in and around Washington and its environ are hereby enjoined to attend these ceremonies for us to give this fine gentleman a befitting departure from mother earth.

For further enquiries please contact his wife Franca on telephone No. 301-434-6097 (Home) or 240-350-3143 (cell), his Niece Nkechi on 301-890-9158 or the Information Section, Embassy of Nigeria on 202-822-1539.

F.K. Martins
Information Attaché
Embassy of Nigeria
March 31, 2003.