Umuahia -The Abia Government has declared Tuesday, Feb 28,  work free to enable civil servants in the state to pay their last respects to the late Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Gov. Theodore Orji announced the declaration in Umuahia on Sunday during an interaction   with newsmen.

The corpse of the late Ikemba will be brought to Aba on Tuesday.

Orji also announced that all markets in Aba would be closed on the day as a mark of respect for  the departed statesman.

Orji declares work free
The governor said  Odumegwu-Ojukwu was in  the class of the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and added  that the deceased brought luck to Umuahia and taught Ndigbo to speak out on important issues.

“Ojukwu brought the luck that gave Umuahia the state capital today.  He made Umuahia the capital of Biafra and lived in Umuahia as a District Officer (DO),’’ the governor said.

Orji said that Odumegwu-Ojukwu  was mandated to declare the civil war,  adding that the war was a big lesson.

The governor explained that it was the wish of  the late Biafran leader to take his corpse to Aba.

.“Ojukwu personally requested that anytime he dies, that his corpse be taken to Aba. It is for this reason that the burial committee listed Aba as one of the places to take his body to.

“Though he lived in Umuahia, we cannot afford to bring his body here after Aba because the cost will be too heavy for the state.’’

The governor urged Abia people willing to pay their last respects to Odumegwu-Ojukwu to travel to Aba on Tuesday..(NAN)