Though Prof. Chinua Achebe lived outside the town for most, particular the last decades of his life, his death appeared to have brought bountiful blessings to the town.
Maybe that was why the natives of Ogidi came out in their brightest colours to bid farewell to the man, reputed to have pioneered modern Africa literature.
The latest benefit they got on Thursday was a new school to replace the oldest primary school in the town. The governments of Ghana and Nigeria will jointly build the school.
President Goodluck Jonathan made the promise after conferring with the President of Ghana, Mr. John Mahama, on what they could do to honour Achebe, who started his primary education in the school.
Mahama had earlier on told the congregation that Achebe had a great influence on him as a writer.
Another benefit the community derived from the burial was the completion of the pro-Cathedral of St. Philip's Anglican Church, the venue of the funeral service.
The Vicar of the Church, Ven. Obi Ubaka, told our correspondent that the old church building had become too small for the congregation, so they had started building a new one.
Ubaka said, "We initially moved into the new church building after the roofing was done. But at a point, it was becoming difficult for us to complete it. So, we moved back to worshipping in the old building.
"But when the burial of Prof. Chinua Achebe came, his family gave us money to assist us in finishing the new building so that it could be used to conduct the funeral of the professor because it is much bigger."
The new building was promptly completed with all the fittings and furnishing and was ready for the funeral service.
The vicar said the parishioners were happy because the new, larger building was now in use.
Not only was the new building completed, the old one and indeed all the buildings and the parsonage received a facelift. The primary school also received a fresh coat of paint.
In infrastructure, the local government moved in to grade all the roads in Ikenga Ogidi, Achebe's village and Nkwelle Ogidi, the community where the church service took place.
The Chairman of Idemili North Local Government, Mr. Raph Nnabuife, said the council saw the opportunity of the burial and said it must do the rehabilitation to honour the literary icon.
All the major roundabouts in the town were renewed and repainted preparatory to the burial.
The Punch