Ojukwu’s burial programmes unveiled

ABUJA – Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Wednesday, revealed that  the burial rite of Eze Igbo Gburu Gburu, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu will take a national outlook, featuring prominent people from all walks of life from within and outside the country.

Senator Chukwumerije, who is the Vice-Chairman of the burial committee in a briefing in Abuja, explained that due to Ojukwu’s stature, series of activities  are scheduled to take place in all parts of the country and abroad.
According to him, social and political groups such as the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) as well as intellectual bodies would all be integrated into the programme and are all welcome without inhibitions.
The programme which commences formally from, Wednesday,  with the mounting of billboards in all strategic places in the country, has all the states in the old Eastern Region firmly represented and playing active role in the burial.
Chukwumerije announced that youth bodies in the South East states would commence the Icho Mmadu (looking for the deceased) in every part of the zone so as to bring up the tempo of the burial to the hinterland and the nooks and crannies of the country.
He added that special prayer for Nigeria and Justice for Ndigbo and other groups in the country would be held on Sunday, while same Icho Mmadu would be held in Zungeru, where Ojukwu was born and in Abidjan, where he took refuge after the Civil war.

There would be similar programmes in Kaduna and Accra, while people in Seme, Abidjan and citizens in Diaspora would also carry out their activities on Wednesday, as well as  in Nigeria in Makurdi, Benue state, Kano, Calabar, Kano, Uyo, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Lagos, Aba, Owerri, Umuahia, Aba, Enugu, Awka and Nnewi at dates between February 14 and 25th.

The remains of the foremost Igbo personality would arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on February 27th,  where a programme tagged Onye Ije Nnoo (welcome home) would be held, while the body would depart immediately to major towns in the South East, for further funeral ceremonies.
The final journey for the Eze Igbo Gburu Gburu would take place with a National Funeral Ceremony on 29th, with series of activities going on simultaneously in Awka and Nnewi, while the interment would take place on March 2nd in Nnewi according to the Nnewi customs and traditions.

The Senator, who said he was sitting in for Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, chairman of the committee explained that though the Federal Government is yet to make known to the committee its level of involvement in the burial, it has received assurances from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim of full participation in the burial.

The lawmaker noted that though the earlier burial programmes were disrupted by the nationwide fuel subsidy strikes, saying, “activities lined up for his burial will progressively increase in scale and intensity as the interment date draws closer”.
He also added that the programme he reeled out were the outcome of agreement reached with the family and Nnewi traditional institution.

“There will be all sorts of people coming to the south east and particularly to Enugu and Nnewi at that period.  They are all welcome.  We expect MASSOB, social and youth groups, masquerade groups as well as other groups and all of them are welcome.  The only thing I can say is that we have contacted all arms of security in the country and security of everyone is guaranteed.

“You know Ojukwu is one of the greatest leaders produced by this country so, everyone is welcome.  The funeral will be conducted with the highest level of peace and tranquillity; it will be a solemn occasion and though he will be buried in the highest tradition of Nnewi town, we don’t want to parochialize the programmes, but he will get national burial,” he explained. (Vanguard)