As the curtain came down on the eventful and touching life of late Sir Donald Ekemonye (aka one man PLC) on the 26th of August 2012, the members of Owerri-west Referees society decided to give him a parting fair-well novelty match.
The match who took place at the Nekede Secondary School field, Umuerim was between the Referees of Owerri-west society against the Umuerim All stars football team.
Late Ekemonye who was the founding chairman of the society, died at the Federal Medical Centre and his death has since been described as a colossal loss to the Refereeing fraternity especially in Owerri-West.
Responding to the loss of our soft speaking father, brother and friend, Pastor Kingsley Uzowulu, the current vice-chairman of the society described ‘one man PLC’ as a real father and an epitome of peace and unity especially in the ways he handled the affairs of the society.
In his own reaction, Mr. Ifeanyi Ihejirika (Otiokpo) the society’s Training officer said, “Ndaa Dona was the one that engineered myself and Uche Nwegbe to join the Referee and I remember in the early days when we young, how he used to put us in his house just like his own children, encouraging us to stay fit and study hard before going to officiate in the Nekede Poly games. It’s just like yesterday, said Ihejirika.
The society chairman, Sir Kelechi Mejuobi in his own wards recounted the way he single handedly steered affairs of the society, stating that the life he lived will act as an exemplary means of helping the younger Referees to become better people not just in Refereeing activities but also in life generally.
The novelty match end 3-0 in favour of the Umuerim All-stars, as the players and the fans who defied the rain and turned out in mass observed a minute silence to commemorate the departed spirit of a man who was instrumental to the development of Umuerim Unity Cup every December period, ‘Adieu one man PLC’.
