Prayers and heartfelt condolences to Dr. Onyema’s family.

My second daughter just called to tell me about his passing, and I was deeply saddened to hear the news. I’ve known Dr. Onyema since I was 13 years old—I'm now 51. He was my OB-GYN for 30 years, delivering 4 of my 5 children and 7 of my 10 grandchildren.

I remember following him to every clinic he worked at on the South Side of Chicago, and every time he’d say, “Taza, what are you doing here?” I’d always reply, “Dr. Onyema, you can never leave me—I’ll follow you wherever you go.”

One of our last conversations still makes me smile. He said, “Taza, I delivered almost all your children and some of your grandchildren. Do you really think I’m going to stick around to deliver your great-grandchildren?” I told him, “Yes, you are.”

Dr. Onyema was a passionate and dedicated physician who truly loved his work and his patients. He will be deeply missed.

ON THE PASSING OF MY INLAW DR GODWIN ONYEMA, FOUNDER OF THE GEANCO FOUNDATION

In a few hours, later today, we shall be committing to mother earth, the mortal remains of our dear brother, friend, Daddy, Grandpa, inlaw and medical philantropist extraordinaire Dr Godwin Ogochukwu Onyema, Doctor-anyi to mother earth in his chosen city of Chicago. Both in his native land Nigeria and here in the Southside of Chicago suburbs, Goddy will continue to be sorely missed by a wide segment of former patients, some of whom he cared for in his practice, right from gestation, until some of the females became mothers themselves! . It has been almost 50years of unbroken service to humanity in Medical Obstetrics and Gynecology in a depressed neighborhood where it mattered most.

I got to meet Dr Godwin Onyema in 1973 when freshly out of the College of Medicine of his alma mater the premier University of Ibadan, he was undertaking the standard hands-on training (called housemanship in these parts) at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu. I had gone to seek his approval in the important matter of my seeking the hands of his immediate younger sister in marriage. We were then both students about to complete our studies at the University of Lagos. I will leave the details of that encounter for another day. Suffice it to report that she has been Mrs Charity Azih these past 47years and counting.

Goddy and his peers in Biafra had their Medical training interrupted by the Nigeria-Biafra War, hence losing three years. Many of Dr Onyema's contemporaries and a few juniors, like Dr Festus Enuma of Columbus Georgia, are in a better position to deliver a blow-by-blow account of how a large number of them ended up in the Cook County Medical Educational environment. Nigeria has ended up benefitting immensely from this collaboration with some returning home to impact positively on the blighted healthcare delivery situation through a combination transfer of advanced knowledge & techniques, taking up teaching positions and investment in healthcare facilities.

I had to pass through Chicago perhaps a dozen times over the past 45years before I could more completely distill the part that late Prof Obiora Udekwu at UNTH, played in it. He motivated the then young doctors, Goddy and his colleagues, got them going and as they say the rest is history.

Goddy shunned the typical high profile medical practice favoured by many in this field often strictly in the rich neighbourhoods among the very well-heeled. The Zip Code surrounding his clinic in Gresham Avenue was pleading for attention and Goddy answered the call. He faithfully delivered for over three decades. He was engaged there in personalized medical care with extensive handholding beyond physical healing. It was therefore no surprise that in the past two decades he had sought to extend a bit of his attention to the situation in our native Nigeria starting from the old Anambra State with capital at Enugu. Hence the GEANCO FOUNDATION was formed. It commenced with arranging for replacement surgeries for skeletal joints in an environment where it was unheard-of. Volunteering doctors were donating their vacation time for visits to the locations in Enugu and subsequently Awka. Product firms were donating equipment, replacement fittings and consumables. Volunteer doctors and nurses were also offering to pay for their travels to and from the field. Rapidly the tempo built up to two missions in a calendar year.

Later, teaching missions were undertaken to transfer knowledge in minimally invasive surgical techniques, laparoscopy and others to senior doctors in both government and private practice. The expansion of the coverage of services rendered by GEANCO Foundation keeps growing thanks to the unrelenting support from doctors, medical and corporate sponsors not to mention the repetitive support from star personalities from the Arts, Entertainment, Sports and the Media. I will leave Mr Afam Onyema, the CEO of the GEANCO Foundation to name them.

It is a measure of its remarkable progress that The Geanco Foundation has since expanded its contribution over the years into support in the Educational and Tech space. Laptops, books, supplies, and other reading materials are routinely consolidated and shipped in aid of GEANCO supported outlets springing up in parts of South-East Nigeria. Non-doctor assisted birthing places are being established and upgraded with modern facilities and backed up with training. A stipend is provided to motivate the attendants to remain focused and undistracted.

On a personal note I want to share that on May 1, 2025, I had resolved, for no particular reason, to phone my inlaws the Onyema brothers, one after the other, following the movement of the sun from the east of the Atlantic to the US East Coast and concluding with Dr Onyema in the Central time zone of Chicago before each individual went to bed. I didn't quite succeed. How on earth could I have known that as I was engaged in hilarious conversation with Rev Emeka, Goddy lay dead?

We were to learn that sad information later.

Meanwhile, we must console ourselves and his doting children for these extra years that the Good Lord graciously granted him and us, even with the usual health challenges, to spend them with us all. The memories of his 2023 Christmas trip to Lagos, Ogbunike, Nawfia, Awka and Enugu will remain indelible in our minds.

We hold onto them firmly.

Dr-Anyi, Goddy, the pioneer doctor in the Onyema family of doctors, we miss you dearly already.

Nnaa, biko jee nke oma!

Oduche Azih

Lagos?

Dr Onyema was a friend and a mentor. Someone i always called on, and acted like a senior brother to me. His death was a great shock to me and others.

May his soul rest in peace.

Dear Afam,

We were so sorry to hear that your dad had passed away.

His life was a blessing to those whose life he touched.

Maggie and Paul Meyer