Jonathan arrives Otuoke for brother’s funeral

By Ben Agande

A tight  security cordon has been thrown around Otuoke, home town of President Goodluck Jonathan, ahead of the burial of his  younger brother tomorrow.

The president’s younger brother, Chief Meni Jonathan, died two weeks ago in Abuja, following a brief illness.

A large contigent of security personnel from the Army, Navy, Airforce, the Police, Department of State Services as well as members of the civil defence corps took over the town where the President arrived Thursday afternoon to inspect work being done in preparation for the burial, which is expected to witness a large turn out of Nigerians from all walks of life.

President Jonathan, who arrived his Otuoke residence shortly before 3:00pm, was received by the governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, as well as senior security officials, after which members of his family briefed him on the arrangements for the funeral.

The president’s arrival was preceeded by that of the  First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, who  had arrived Otuoke on Wednesday where she took charge of some of the arrangements.

After the briefing by his family members, President Jonathan visited the residence of his late brother where he commiserated with the widow and daughter before leaving for  Pa Lawrence Ebele Jonathan Memorial Hall where the corpse is expected to lie in state today.

A sober President Jonathan who came out of his brother’s residence with misty eyes, was led to the community Town Hall where the community elders are expected to receive the corpse when it arrives from Abuja today.

From the Community Town Hall, the President was led to St. Steven’s Anglican Church where the requiem mass is expected to be held today.