The National Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh, in this interview with Ozioma Ubakukoh, says extensive consultations will be made before the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, will be buried and other issuesWhenis the burial of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu'It is very clear that the burial of Ojukwu is not just like any other burial. This is going to be a burial that nobody has ever seen its type. He is a man so many people are interested in his burial rites. Extensive consultations will be made before his burial will take place, but you know that having left us in physical realm, his body must be committed to mother earth. He was a Christian - a Catholic and he will receive a Catholic burial as well.You just returned from London and we heard you held a series of meetings with his family members. What were the meetings all about'The short meetings we have had in London and at home here require that more consultations be made before a final date for his burial is fixed. We have also decided in the interest of security that the corpse will remain in London until we are ready with the arrangements. So, once the body is brought home, the burial rites will commence. The decision is that we shall still leave his corpse there for proper care and for us to get back home and work.What is the major reason for choosing to keep his corpse in London'For security reasons, the corpse of the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, will not be brought back to Nigeria very soon and will remain in a London morgue until all arrangements are concluded for his burial.The late Ikemba Nnewi may as well not be buried after all. He may be deposited in a mausoleum where anybody who wants to see his remains could go there and possibly draw inspiration if the person so wishes.Again, all the wishes of Ojukwu as reportedly contained in his will, like taking his corpse to the four countries that recognised the defunct Biafra Republic, are expected to be captured in his burial rites that nobody knows when it will be released.Which individuals or groups have indicated interest to participate in the burial'His mates at Epson College in London have indicated interest to be included in the burial arrangements. All the nine state governments of the old Eastern Region statesEnugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Bayelsa, that Ojukwu administered as a military governor, will equally be involved in his burial; same as the Federal Government.Encomiums have continued to pour in since his death. He never got such when he was alive. Why is this so'I thank all those who have showered praises on Ojukwu, but I wonder why they waited for his death to do so. However, I charge them to recognise what the late Ikemba stood for and said in the 60s. He said injustice had no place in the modern world and that equity and justice must be the guiding principle for every nation.What about his family'The nuclear family of the Ikembahis children and wifewill arrive Enugu this week. APGA will continue to use the name of Ojukwu for all its future campaign slogans.
Click here to read full news..
