The Ohanaeze Ndigbo of North Carolina Cultural Group Benefits (ONNCCGB) has paid out its first-ever insurance death benefit to the family of a deceased Nigerian woman as part of initiatives to enhance the provision of community services to Nigerians living in North Carolina.
The payment was made in July 2025 by the organisation through its insurer, the Hartford’s Group, one of the biggest insurance companies in the United States. This deliberate and intentional community service marked the characteristic of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Executive Committee, which led the organisation from 2017 to 2019, when the insurance scheme was introduced.
In a press release issued by ONNCCGB and signed by Barrister Nwachukwu Okafor, the insurance claimant, Mrs. Onyinyechi Onuigbo, thanked the establishment for the wonderful and seamless claim experience.
Mrs. Onuigbo, who registered her mother in the scheme, said the claim procedure went smoothly.
“Hello. The insurance company paid us on time,” she said in a thank you message to the organisation, explaining that the entire process took about three weeks because she had to send her mother’s passport to immigration for cancellation.
“Though our mother died in Nigeria that did not stop or delay the payment. Excellent job, we were so happy,” she added.
Speaking about the historic accomplishment, former President of the group, Barrister Nwachukwu Okafor, revealed that in 2017, the Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo of North Carolina, under his leadership, began the process of establishing an insurance programme to help immigrant Nigerian families in providing their deceased family members with a dignified funeral.
According to him, Nigerians celebrate their dead and, in most circumstances, prefer to bring their deceased relatives’ remains back to Nigeria for burial. This custom, he elaborated, has become a burden for many families.
He bemoaned the fact that the Nigerian community turned to taxing themselves every time someone passed away in an attempt to address the problem, a system that has remained onerous and unsustainable to this day.
Barrister Okafor noted that the above problem prompted the Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to develop and establish a sustainable programme to ensure that participants receive death benefits when they die.
All Nigerian families residing in North Carolina are eligible to enroll in the Ohanaeze Ndigbo of North Carolina Insurance Programme, which offers term life insurance for a minimum monthly charge of $13 for adults and 60 cents for children.
On its third anniversary, the programme admitted members of Yoruba United, and it is today a living example of a collaborative effort among Nigerians in North Carolina. Enrollment will begin in September 2026, and Nigerian residents in North Carolina are invited to participate.
By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja