Tears Flow As Arise TV Anchor, Sommie Maduagwu Is Buried In Anambra (Photos)
The remains of late Arise TV news anchor Somtochukwu Maduagwu, who was popularly known as “Sommie,” have been laid to rest amid tears in Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The deceased, who d!ed in September 2025 during an armed robbery attack at her residence in Abuja, was interred at about 1:30 pm on Saturday, after the funeral Mass at St Theresa’s Catholic Church, Agulu.
She was buried in the presence of family members, relatives, friends, colleagues, and other dignitaries, including the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Delivering a homily at the burial mass at St Theresa Catholic Church, Agulu, Reverend Father Peter Ezewuzie, a priest from the parish, consoled the family, asking them to take solace in the fact that Sommie lived a quality life.
Ezewuzie said, “The Lord who created us knows the beginning from the end. He is all-knowing, and some of you may be unhappy that a life has been cut short, but you won’t know if that is how God planned it.
“He (God) is an all-knowing father, so I urge you to grieve less. God, who gave Christelle Somtoo Maduagwu to your family, loves her more than you do. The only thing you owe her is to continue to remember her in your prayers. She is in a better place today and will always remember us, too.
“The maturity of life is the quality of life lived and not how long, and we can be sure that our sister lived a quality life. Let us strive to live our lives well. We are not here by chance; there is someone who brought us here, and he expects that you will live a good life because no one knows when it will be their time.”
Also speaking after the funeral Mass, Peter Obi, who is also from Agulu, described Sommie’s death as heartbreaking and a painful reminder of the insecurity plaguing the nation.
Peter Obi, who also addressed those in attendance after Mass, said, “We can not question God. When I heard of her death, I didn’t know that she was from Agulu, even before I tweeted about it.
“Our coming here will help to console you, but we know that this loss is a huge one. It is the wish of God, and none of us can question God. Please do remember her and her immediate family in your prayers.
“Before I left Birmingham yesterday, I told some people who were with me that I was rushing back to Nigeria for the burial of one of my daughters. I told them to remember to pray for her all the time, as she will be buried today.”
The uncle to the late Sommie, Mr Obi Maduagwu, who is the elder brother of Sommie’s dad, praised Arise News for standing by the family from the moment the news of their daughter’s death broke.
He said, “We thank the management of Arise News. They have been with us right from the beginning. We thank all who journeyed all the way to be with us.”
Recall that the late Arise News presenter d!ed tragically in September 2025 during an armed robbery attack at her residence in Abuja.
Reports said the assailants invaded her home at night and, in the course of the attack. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but was later confirmed de@d.
Her sudden death sent shockwaves across Nigeria’s media community, where she was admired as one of the promising young faces of television journalism.
Tributes have since poured in from colleagues, friends, and prominent Nigerians, who described her as intelligent, hardworking and full of life.
The burial brought together journalists, government officials, and community members who paid their last respects to Sommie, a bright star whose light was cruelly extinguished, leaving behind memories of brilliance, humility and promise.
