The family of the late Mr. Titus Uwakwe Okete Ugwuanyi, a dedicated officer of the Nigeria Police Force renowned for his unwavering discipline, has, on 27th December, 2025, paid glowing tributes to his legacy, highlighting his commitment to service, education, and family values.

In a series of tributes filled with affectionate emotions, the Oketes also recount how the foundation of excellence, unity and hard work instilled in them by their late father remains firm and formidable.

Below are the tributes:

Forever in Our Hearts: A Tribute to My Beloved Father.

By Captain Dennis Chukwuemeka Okete

(Son)

In Loving Memory. As I reflect on Dad’s life, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. He wasn’t just an amazing father, he was an incredible human being. His love, wisdom, and strength continue to guide us, and his memory is a source of comfort and inspiration. Even though he’s gone, his spirit lives on in those he touched, and his legacy will always be a part of us.

A Man of Integrity. My father was a man of unparalleled integrity, believing in doing the right thing, even when it was hard or unpopular. His honesty and strong moral compass were clear in everything he did, from his career to his relationships with family and friends. He taught us that integrity is about being true to yourself and your beliefs.

Surviving a fatal road transport accident along Benin – Lagos express way on 21 Feb 2001, which claimed 17 lives was a miracle even though you had a terrible fracture on your right leg. The accident became a turning point in the wrong direction. We saw you go through pains upon pains. Other illnesses followed suit, and hospitals became your second home. You fought bravely, but eventually passed away on 1 January 2002. When I arrived at Bishop Shanahan Hospital that faithful morning in the company of Ogo – Ada Tai Okete ( who was backing Chinecherem, who was 1 year and 3 months old then – Now Asistant Superintendent of Police) you where full of life and gave us hope that having survived the New Year, you will live long and not going to die any time soon. You admonished us to remain focused, prayerful, and determined at all times, and the sky would be our starting point. This we followed strictly to date, and the result was a huge success. You requested Ogo prepare “Oha soup” for your New Year launch, which you never lived to eat as you gave up the ghost some minute before 04:00 noon when the meal was brought to the hospital. Your death struck like a thunder. You went through a lot before your death and it was not easy for us also after your death. IT WAS A SUNSET AT DAWN.

Dad, we miss you so much. Your life was a gift, and your memory will forever be a treasure.

Tribute to My Beloved Father

By Asp Tobechukwu Okete,

ADC Kogi State Governor (Son)

Though you departed this life when I was still a young boy, your influence has remained an enduring light on my path. I often reflect on those brief but impactful years we shared, and I realize that your love, discipline, and quiet direction have continued to shape who I am long after your earthly journey ended.

You taught me to count and other basic communication skill in Hausa, a simple lesson that, at the time, felt like a playful bridge between father and son. Yet in hindsight, they were profound. It was as though you foresaw that life would one day take me to Kano and so many other States in the North, where those early words and numbers would become part of my daily reality. I now understand that even in the ordinary moments, you are preparing me for the road ahead.

As I stand today, honoured to have risen to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police, I carry you with me in every decision, every uniformed duty, and every step toward integrity and service. My achievements, though mine in effort, are yours in foundation. I am the man I am because you first planted the seed of discipline, love, courage, and purpose. I will forever wave the “Okete” flag with pride.

There are days I silently wish you were here, not just to witness the man I have become, but to know that your sacrifices, teachings, and quiet devotion were not in vain. I know you could see the journey, the challenges we have overcome as a family, the love, unity and strength we draw from your memory are testaments of the type of life you lived as a father worthy of emulation.

Even in your absence, your presence remains my compass. Though death separated us too soon, love continues to bind us. Your legacy lives on not only in my heart, but also in the life I live and in the service I render to my nation.

Thank you for giving us the best mother we could possibly ask for and may we forever honor you through the love, character, dignity, duty and loyalty shown to her.

May your gentle soul continue to rest in peace my own Hero. My children and grandchildren I will tell your tales my legend.

An Eternal Salute to My Father, Sir Titus Uwakwe Okete Ugwuanyi Itodo Anaga – the man with the eagle’s plume

By Lieutenant Geofery Obinna Okete 

Papa,

Twenty-three years have rolled by like silent thunder since that afternoon at Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka, when the clock struck 4p.m on the 1st of January, 2002 and your gallant heart finally rested. Yet, the memory remains as sharp as the day the news broke: the accident on the Benin–Ore road, the stubborn illness that followed, the year-long battle you fought with the same courage you showed on every posting from East to West, North to South, wearing the black-and-green uniform of a fearless Nigerian policeman. You gallantly bowed out,  though shockingly to us, having answered the ultimate call, on the very first day of 2002, leaving us stunned, speechless, and forever changed.

The sad incident of your demise that day sent a cold and super shock down my spine. The injury my heart sustained from that news will never heal as the space you left remains unfilled. I still hear myself – how I kept whispering to God -“Take me instead,” because the reality of your exit was unbearable to me.

The pain of your demise reminded me of a particular homily by a particular priest in Nsukka Catholic Diocese about a certain mother and her sick son. The mother had echoed a thunderous “Amen” when the priest prayed that her son be healed and remain alive if it’s the will of God, but immediately rebuked the priest saying let God’s will not be done because the priest said “so be it if God had willed her son to die.” That mother was me, Papa—bargaining, pleading, heartbroken—watching you suffer yet never accepting, initially, that “your will be done” when it came to you passing on.  But who am I, a mere clay, to question God- the All Powerful, All Knowing and Everlasting Potter!? So, in the end, I bowed, as you always taught us to bow in total submission to God, and whispered, “Thy will be done.”

You were more than a police officer. 

Despite your busy schedule, you were devoted Catholic and was a catechist in far-flung Ikem parish in Isi-Uzo LGA,  squeezing rosary and Bible study between night patrols and crime prevention. You were the man who could silence a riot with a look, yet melt into tenderness the moment any child—yours or a stranger’s—called you “Papa.” Discipline flowed from you like a river, yet kindness rained from you like harmattan mist—quiet, constant, covering everyone.

Your voice—deep, deliberate, sometimes thunderous—still rings in my ears: 

“There is no stupid person in my lineage!” 

Every promotion I earn in the Nigerian Army, every decision I make under fire, every time I choose integrity over convenience, I hear you. That single sentence is my compass, my battle cry, my inheritance more precious than gold.

You gave us a queen for a mother—Mrs Justina Ngozi Okete Ugwuanyi (JP)—a woman whose strength is soft as silk yet unbreakable as steel. Together you proved the Scripture true: two became one flesh, one mission, one legacy. You gifted me siblings who carry your fire in their bones—soldiers, scholars, servants of God and country—just as you dreamed.

So today I stand tall, chest out, beret tilted just the way you liked it, and declare without apology:

I am proud to be your son. 

I am proud to bear your name. 

In this life and in the next, I will still rush to you crying 

“Nna m ukwu!” and you will answer 

“Obinna ya bu nwa m.”

Until the trumpet sounds and we embrace again in the city whose builder and maker is God, keep watching over us from the balcony of heaven. Keep interceding for your battalion here on earth—your wife, your children, your grandchildren, your community.

Rest eternally in the bosom of the Almighty

Sir Titus—the man with the eagle’s plume

My Father

My Commander

My Hero

My Mentor

Nnam Ukwu

Onye Police

Ji Ugo Tii

Papa OgoChukwu

Papa Ndi Army

Papa Okwuru and Son’s

Papa Ndi Police

Papa Onye Navy

Papa Battalion, 

The Academic Giant, 

The Great Disciplinarian, 

The Philanthropist after God’s own heart.

Your son forever, 

Lieutenant Geofery Obinna Okete 

(Nwa Tii • Nwa Onye Police • Obinna ya) 

Nigerian Army.

Tribute to My Beloved Husband

By wife

We started our journey together in 1981, and on March 3rd, 1983, we vowed to walk through life hand in hand. Our marriage, Our love, with a heart filled with kindness, patience, and laughter. Life, in its unpredictable way, tested us, and I will never forget the unfortunate accident on your way to Lagos, the challenges we faced, and how you always stood strong for us.

You left us on 1st January  2002 after a long battle with your ill health and the world felt a little colder that day. Even though you are no longer here in body, your spirit, love, and the memories we shared lives on in our hearts. You call me Ugo-Ti, and that name, that bond, will forever remind me of the beautiful life we built together and the family we raised.

I raised our children with your spirit beside me, guiding my hands when I faltered, reminding me that your love never truly leaves us. Every joy, every achievement, every tears, they all carry traces of you. Life went on, but it’s never been the same without you.

I miss you every single day, oyom. Thank you for loving me so well, for being my partner, my confidant, and the father of our children. You will always be remembered, cherished, and loved beyond words. Even though you are gone, your legacy lives on.

The best daddy in the whole world!

By Mrs Okwor ogochukwu Juliet

Daughter.

Daddy like no other! the thought of you is indeed precious, you set a standard of excellence in my life that continue to inspire and motivate me everyday. Though you are no longer with me physically, your impact remains profound. The family you left behind will always remember and honor you for the love,care and sacrifices you made for us. I miss you daddy and the void you left is felt deeply. I am grateful for the time I had with you and the values you instilled in me and my siblings. I also thank you so much daddy for the type of wife you choose, who strongly stood by us to ensure that the vacuum you created does not affect us deeply. Twenty -three years is just like yesterday when you left this world. May you continue to rest in eternal glory knowing that your memory will live on in my heart. We will strive to make you proud by living up to the standard you set for us. How I wish you are alive to see that the standard has impacted in us greatly but who am I to question God. I love you daddy and I will always cherish the moment I shared with you. May your soul continue to rest in the Bossom of the Lord. Amen

Adieu my beloved Dad.

A Tribute to My Father

By Chibuike Okete, Sub lieutenant (Son)

I was still very young when you passed, too small to fully understand what it meant to lose a father but old enough to feel the space your absence created in my life. As I grew older, the details of your face became faint, but the impact of your life never did. I learned about the kind of man you were through stories, through the way people spoke your name, and through the quiet strength I find in myself. Even without your physical presence, I still carry pieces of you everywhere I go.

There are days I wonder how different my life would have been if you were here if I could come to you for advice, for guidance, or just to hear your voice. But even in your absence, you remain a steady reminder of the man I hope to become.

Today, I honor you. Not with sadness alone, but with gratitude. Gratitude for the life you gave me, for the legacy you left behind, and for the strength that somehow found its way into me, even without the years we should have shared.

Rest well, Dad.

Your memory lives on in the man I’m becoming.

Message to my father now in heaven

By ASP Chinecherem Okete

(Son)

Even though Dad Isn’t here physically anymore, his legacy lives on in the values he instilled in me.The passing of my Dad left a void in my life  that’s impossible to fill, but his memory is a constant source of light and guidance even during this time that i am being tested.

I should have written this article or a heartfelt letter for a late father, however the most i can do is pray that my message reaches him in heaven. May your gentle soul continue to rest well my lovely father.

My beloved father

By Mr Chisom Okete, CEO Okwulu Enterprise

(Son)

Dad, you were more than just a father – you were my rock, my guide, and my biggest fan. Your strength, kindness, and wisdom shaped me into who I am today. I’ll carry your lessons, laughter, and love with me forever.

You taught me how to dream big, work hard, and stay humble. Your unwavering support gave me the courage to chase my goals. Even in moments when I stumbled, your belief in me lifted me up. You always ensured that I lack nothing as a child giving me enough money to sort out any issues and while going to school back then.

I miss you, Dad, but I know your spirit lives on in everything I do. I shall keep making you proud.

In loving memory of my beloved uncle

By Mrs Ukamaka Chikwere, (Niece)

The day God took you home, if tears could build a stairway and heartaches makes a lane we had walk our way to heaven and bring you back to life we love you dearly in our heart you hold a place no one could ever fill.

In my next world I will still chose you to be my uncle and your brother mr JOHN will still be my   

Father but both of you must promise to live long and see your children grow to adult and also see your grand and great grand children.

Biography of Mr. Titus Okete Ugwuanyi

*Written by Mrs. Francisca Ngozi Aruma (Sister)*

An Icon Of Discipline

Mr. Titus Uwakwe Okete Ugwuanyi was born in 1953 to Mr. Okete Ugwuanyi of Umuagbogo Amaechera Igugu and Madam Philomena Nnenamokwo Aba of Ozalla Ezimo, both in Udenu Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria. He was one of six siblings: Late brothers Sylvanus, Late Mr. John, Late Mrs. Erina, Mrs. Marcelina and Mrs. Francisca. He also had two stepsisters, Evelyn and Fidelia, and grew up closely with his cousin, Emmanuel.

Following the end of Nigerian Civil War, he resumed his education at St. Paul’s School, Udenu. Upon completion, he relocated to Ibadan, Oyo State, where he worked for several years before returning to his hometown of Igugu.

In the late 1970s, he was employed by an Italian construction company, Batholette.

A passionate advocate for education, Mr. Titus Okete Ugwuanyi pursued further studies through external examinations. Having obtained the necessary qualifications, he enrolled in the Police College, Enugu, in 1980. Upon successful completion of his training, he was posted to Kano State as a young officer—a posting that filled his mother with immense pride.

He married Mrs. Justina Ugwuanyi (née Ugwu) in the early 1980s, and their union was blessed with seven children: Ogochukwu, Chukwuemeka, Obinna, Chisom, Tobechukwu, Chukwubuikem, and Chinecherem.

Known for his unwavering discipline, Mr. Ugwuanyi dedicated himself wholeheartedly to his service in the Nigeria Police Force until his passing on January 1st, 2002, in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.

He is survived by:

*Wife* 

Mrs. Justina Ugwuanyi (née Ugwu)

*Children* 

– Mrs. Ogo Juliet Okwor (née Okete) – Daughter 

– Captain Dennis Chukwuemeka Okete – Son 

– Lieutenant Geoffrey Obinna Okete – Son 

– Mr. Chisom Okete – Son  

– ⁠ASP Tobechukwu Charles Okete – Son 

– Sub Lieutenant Chukwubuikem Okete – Son 

– ASP Titus Chinecherem Okete – Son

*Siblings* 

– Mrs. Marceline Eze – Sister 

– Mrs. Franca Aruma – Sister 

*Cousin* 

– Mr. Emma Ayogu

– Mr. Jonas Ugwuanyi

*Son-in-law* 

– Barr. Sunday Okwor

*Daughters-in-law* 

– Mrs. Chidinma Okete 

– ASP Chiamaka Emmanuella Ani-Okete 

– Mrs. Ezinne Okete

*Grandchildren* 

– Miss Chiamaka Okwor 

– Master Chinonso Okwor 

– Miss Chikamso Okwor 

– Miss Chidalu Okwor 

– Miss Ngozichukwu Delight Okete 

– Miss Chukwunazom Splendour Okete.

Nephews and Nices